In New York
by notmariah7
Summary: Lams! College AU! Featuring all your favorite Hamilton ships and characters! Laurens is drunk a lot! What else is new?
1. Chapter 1

Alexander Hamilton had no idea what he was doing. He had been walking around the campus of Princeton College for about two hours, just looking for his dorm building. The problem was, the campus was enormous, every building looked exactly the same, and it was starting to get dark outside. He had seen a very little amount of people, and everyone he saw either ignored him or gave him dirty looks. Alexander was used to it, though, and he wasn't one for asking for help anyway.

Eventually, Alexander abandoned his search for a while and headed into town. He found a small pub and decided to head inside. He wasn't very surprised to find several students inside, drinking away their last free Saturday night before the school year starts. Alexander tried his best to find someone sober.

"Excuse me," Someone tapped Alexander on the shoulder. He turned around to see a man in front of him with a calm smile on his face. "From the look on your face, I would guess you're lost."

"Uh y-yeah." Alexander responded. "I just got to New York today and I don't know where my dorms are on campus and-" The man started to laugh.

"New kid huh? The freshman this year are pretty crazy, so good luck." He took a sip of his drink then held out his hand. "Aaron Burr, junior."

Alexander hesitantly shook his hand. "Alexander Hamilton, and, yeah, freshman."

"Would you like a drink?" Aaron asked, but Alexander shook his head. "Well, I would be happy to show you around tomorrow, if You-"

"What time is it?" A voice yelled.

"Showtime!" An eruption of shouts and laughs came from the other side of the bar.

"Ah, yes." Aaron sighed. "Meet your grade." Alexander craned his neck to catch a glimpse of the other freshmen.

There were three of them.

The first one was tall and lanky with a small ponytail. The second was maybe an inch shorter than the first, but clearly more muscular and intimidating. He had a blue bandana tied around his head. The third was shorter than the others, had a poof of hair tied behind his head, and a face covered in freckles.

Alexander and Aaron stood back to watch the three men.

They slammed their fists on the bar table and chanted, "More! More! More!" The bartender rolled her eyes and gave them each another beer. The first two cheered as the third chugged his drink.

By now, the three students had gathered a crowd around them.

A girl stepped up to the them an asked in wonder, "Who _are_ you?"

The third gave a stunning grin. "I'm John Laurens, baby." He laughed.

 _Damn, that was cute._ Alexander shook his head in slight confusion, for he had never had a thought like that before.

The first boy was surrounded by girls, flirting with them in slurred French.

"Bonjour belle, je m'appelle Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier de La Fayette." He said to one girl. "But you may call me Lafayette, mon cher."

"Hercules Mulligan!" The second one suddenly shouted. The crowd around him laughed.

"Jesus, these three are insane." Aaron mumbled, taking another drink.

He almost spit it out when the third boy, John, called out, "Aaron Burr? The prodigy himself?"

The crowd turned to Aaron all at once, and him and Alexander shrunk down, trying to get away from the stares. It was to no avail, as the boys were already walking towards them.


	2. Chapter 2

John Laurens and his friends sauntered across the room towards Burr, drunkenly interested in talking to him.

"A pleasure to meet you Mr. Laurens," Burr said sarcastically. John snickered and leaned towards him.

"We've heard of you, Burr," John grinned. "So how'd you do it? Skip a couple grades and graduate early? That's-that's crazy man!"

"My parents wanted me to excel-"

"Man screw parents!" John shouted, earning cheers of agreement from his friends. "My dad's never done shit for me."

"Nice to know someone's in the same boat as me" John heard someone say. There was another boy standing behind Burr who's eyes widened when he realized he had been heard.

He was short and had long dark hair tightly pulled up in a ponytail.

And he was beautiful.

Or maybe John was just _that_ drunk.

John shook his head, realizing he had been staring at this mysterious boy.

"Who are you?" John asked the boy.

"Um, I-I'm Alexander Hamilton," the boy stuttered. "I'm a freshman and I'm new to New York."

"Oh, a newbie like us?" Mulligan rubbed Alexander's head, messing up his hair.

 _No, don't ruin his perfect hair!_

 _Wait...Dammit John, stop! You're just super drunk, okay?_

"Hercules, mon ami, leave the poor boy alone," Laf giggled, pushing Mulligan away. "You can't keep scaring people away, grand garçon."

Alexander looked utterly terrified of the three men in front of him. John watched Alexander slink behind Burr.

"Aw," John cooed. "The new kid is shy." He laughed again and swore Alexander blush.

"So, what are you doing here, Hamilton?" Mulligan wondered.

"I'm-I'm going to school for law." Alexander said, slightly more confident. "Even though the law system is total crap sometimes."

"Fougueux, I like it," Laf smirked.

Burr whispered something to Alexander, who nodded in return.

"I'm sorry, boys, but Alexander and I have to get going." Burr stood and motioned for Alexander to follow him.

"Leaving so soon?" John pouted, grabbing Alexander's shoulder as he walked away.

Alexander swallowed and pushed John's hand away. Then, the boy left, but not before quietly saying, "You all seem like you would be cool when you're sober. I hope we can meet up sometime."

 _I don't think I'll ever be able to be sober again..._

 **HOI! So, um, I forgot to say this last time so I'll do it here before anything actually happens in the story. You can call me Maya, just not Mariah or Elsa (don't ask why).**

 **This is my first Fic so bear with me. I'm just super Hamiltrash and I ship Lams (and others) way too hard so...ye. I hope you like this so far, cause I think my writing sucks. Also I'm just using Google Translate for the French so don't judge if it's wrong okay? Cool, thank. Also, John won't be sober again because he's drunk on love. Get it? I was going to say something else but I forgot what it was oh well.**


	3. Chapter 3

After Alexander left the bar, Aaron showed him where his dorm was. One of the bedrooms was already filled with someone else's things, yet there was no one inside. Alexander wondered what kind of person his dorm mate might be ( _hopefully nice,_ he thought) and went to the empty room across the hall. He unpacked the meager possessions he had and went straight to bed.

 _He was floating._

 _He looked around, but all he saw was darkness._

 _He tried to move, but the pressure was too much._

 _He tried to breathe, but he felt like he was being suffocated._

 _He heard muffled screams._

 _He heard his mother calling out to him._

 _Telling him he will be okay..._

 _He will be okay..._

 _You will be okay..._

Alexander jolted awake, drenched in sweat. He clutched his chest and tried his best to calm his breathing. It was one of the nicer dreams he had had in a long time, but it still made him absolutely terrified. Eventually, Alexander was able to get himself out of bed and get dressed.

Alexander decided he would check to see if there was any food in his dorm before he went out, so he headed towards the kitchen. He froze in his tracks, however, when he saw the person hunched over in a chair by the kitchen table.

The same person he thought was cute the night before.

John Laurens.

 _Crap_.

John's face was buried in his arms and his hair was a huge tangle of curls covering his head like a blanket.

"Um, hello?" Alexander called, begging to God that John was either asleep or to hungover to notice him. Luckily, the only response Alexander got was a groan of anguish.

Alexander sighed and looked around the kitchen, finding what he needed (surprisingly) : a can of Sprite and a bag of pretzels. He pushed them across the table towards John then turned to get pretzels for himself.

He heard the sound of a can opening and was instantly too afraid to turn back and face John.

"How'd you know about this?" John asked tiredly, presumably referring to the food and drink in front of him.

"My dad taught me," Alexander choked out, still facing away from the other boy, who just hummed in response.

"So, are you my roommate, then?" John inquired. Alexander just nodded. "Um, I'm John Laurens. Who are-"

Alexander forced himself to turn around and try to look casual. John's eyes widened at the sight of Alexander's face.

"Alexander Hamilton. Well I'll be damned." Alexander felt his face heat up when John said his name in such a low voice. John grinned and held out his hand. "I think it would be best if we formally met."


	4. Chapter 4

John drummed his fingers on the steering wheel as he drove Alexander and himself to the cafe.

"I'm sorry again," John said suddenly, making Alexander jump in surprise.

"F-for what?" Alexander asked.

"For having our first meeting be when I was wasted."

"Oh..." Alexander was quiet for a moment. "I don't mind it, really."

"Are you serious?" John laughed. "My friends and I are super weird when we're drunk."

"It's a fun kind of weird, I guess." Alexander said shyly, making John laugh, which made Alexander laugh, and so on until they were at the cafe.

"Wait, why did we go to a French cafe?" Alexander wondered, noticing the name of the building.

"It was Laf's-Lafayette's-idea," John sighed as they walked inside. "He's from France, you know? He wanted 'a taste of home'."

"Tortue garçon!" Laf called out to John across the room. John shook his head, giggling, and motioned for Alexander to follow him.

"So, Newbie," Hercules said after they got their coffees. "Why are you going into law? Isn't that, like, really hard?"

"First of all," Alexander started. "You're all new to this school like I am, so stop calling me 'Newbie'. Second of all, you were all super drunk last night so how do you remember anything, let alone why I'm going to college." The three just shrugged. "Third, I'm going into law because I think it's interesting and the law system needs to be fixed; mainly the treasury in my opinion. And fourth: yes. It's really hard. I had to write an essay just to get in to this school and I only wrote 51 pages." The three boys stared at Alexander in astonishment.

"How many were you supposed to write?" John questioned.

"25," Alexander said meekly. "But I was trying to get to 85."

"Putain de merde..." Laf whispered. Hercules, however...

"What the fu-" Lafayette quickly covered Herc's mouth before they were all kicked out of the cafe.

"I know, I know," Alexander cried. "I barely did any work."

"Dude, no, that's-that's awesome!" John reassured him. Alexander just shook his head.

"Let's stop talking about me, okay?" Alexander pleaded. "What are you going to school for?"

"Marine biologist," John beamed.

"World History professor," Laf said, reviving a "Nerd!" from Hercules.

"Well, what are you here for, Mister High-and-mighty?" Alexander retorted. Herc blushed suddenly and turned his head down.

John leaned over and whispered in Alex's ear, "Big guy over there wants to be a fashion designer." Laf and Mulligan heard him though, and immediately began jokingly chastising each other.

"What are you, gay?" Lafayette smiled, and poked Herc's shoulder.

"No," Hercules responded. "You two are gay." He pointed at John and Laf, then at himself. "I am bisexual." Herc grinned proudly then started to laugh his guts out with the other two.

John glanced at Alexander, who looked immensely confused. John awkwardly smiled and mumbled, "Oh, yeah, probably should have mentioned that.."


	5. Chapter 5

_He's gay. John is gay. I have a chance. Not like I'm going to try for it, but I have a fighting chance._

Alexander didn't realize he was gaping at the three boys in front of him until Hercules leaned in close to him with a terrifying look on his face.

"Do you have a problem, Hamilton?" Hercules questioned.

Alexander gulped and stuttered, "N-no, of course not. I-I'm actually Bi, too. I've just never told anyone before."

"Why not, mom ami?" Lafayette asked, pushing Mulligan away from Alexander.

"I haven't had anyone to tell," Alexander whispered, his hands fidgeting. Hercules was going to ask more, but Laf shook his head, telling him to back down.

"Mr. Hamilton," a voice called out suddenly.

"Aaron Burr?" Alexander wondered, spinning around. Sure enough, Burr was walking towards their table.

"What are you doing here, Burr?" John asked.

"That," Aaron said sternly. "Is none of your business."

"I bet he's waiting for his girl-" Hercules was cut off when the door to the cafe flew open with simultaneous ferocity and grace. The three girls who walked through the door held themselves the same way.

The first was the tallest and clearly the oldest. She had long, dark, wavy hair that was held up in a complicated bun. She wore a pink dress with a pink and orange flannel tied around it and large, golden hoop earrings.

The second had short, dark, straight hair that seemed to flow behind her in a nonexistent breeze. She was wearing a light blue sweater dress with gray tights underneath and diamond studded sunglasses.

The third, obviously younger than than the other two, had her curly brown hair tied in a ponytail. Her yellow crop top has the shoulders cropped out and her lace/silk choker matched her black high-wasted shorts.

Mulligan whistled. "Talk about girls."

"Oh, don't bother trying with them," Aaron warned. When Herc gave Aaron a confused look, he continued. "Those three are the Schuyler Sisters. Their dad, Phillip Schuyler, is _loaded_ ; works for the government."

"Is that the only problem?" Hercules laughed.

"That isn't the problem at all," Aaron pointed out the girl in pink, who had lead the other two to the other side of the cafe. "Angelica, junior like me. She is _untouchable_. Biggest feminist on the planet and has a wit sharp enough to slit your throat. People have completely given up on trying to get with her, and it's just as impossible to get with her sisters because of how much Angelica protects them."

"Overprotection, fun." Lafayette mumbled sarcastically.

"Yeah," Burr continued. "The one in blue, Eliza, is a sophomore this year. She's the nicest person you will ever meet. But after another sophomore, James Madison, broke up with her last year, Angelica has kept a close eye on her sisters."

"Who's the last one?" John asked, gesturing to the girl in yellow.

"Peggy, I'd assume," Aaron answered. "I've heard her mentioned before. She's a freshman, so you four have a better chance of knowing her than I do."

"What would happen if we became friends with them?" Alexander ventured.

Aaron thought for a moment before laughing quietly. "You would probably be praised like college Gods."


	6. Chapter 6

**Okay so I know juniors and sophomores usually don't have classes with freshmen but deal with it.**

On the first day of school, it took Alexander an entire fourty minutes to find the building his law class was in. Although, Alexander had left his dorm an hour early, much to John's surprise and concern.

The classroom was large and crowded, to say the least. Alex managed to find Aaron in the middle of the room, with an empty seat conveniently next to him.

"Are you excited Aaron?" Alexander asked when he sat down.

"Excited for what?" Aaron questioned.

"First day of school, of course." Alexander smiled widely. Aaron rolled his eyes.

"I think you're the only person in the world to be excited for school." Aaron sighed. "But I am somewhat excited for this class. Mr. George Washington is the teacher."

"Is he a good teacher?"

"The best," Aaron's eyes lit up just a bit. "He can make law fun. Which is amazing all in itself."

"What makes it fun?" Alexander wondered, more excited than he was before.

"Well every year, instead of a normal debate, he-"

The door slammed open to reveal a tall boy with a bright magenta jacket and head covered with curls.

"Bonjour, y'all!" The boy shouted. His only response was a few groans in anguish. The boy sauntered inside and sat-quite fabulously-in a chair in the back of the room.

"Can I go one day without being interrupted by some ass?" Burr sighed. "That," Aaron gestured to the magenta-clad boy. "Is Thomas Jefferson. Sophomore. And next to him is James Madison, same grade." Alexander hadn't noticed the smaller boy following Thomas before Aaron pointed him out. He had short hair and a green sweater. Clutched in his hand was a handkerchief that appeared to be very thoroughly used. Aaron continued, "Thomas just got back from spending about five months in France. He is probably the worst person on the planet. Even seniors are scared of him. He wins every argument and fight, blackmails people, bullies almost everyone, etcetera. James seems to be the only person Thomas likes. Seriously though, Thomas protects James with his life. As to why; no one knows. But we all have our theories."

"I'll be sure to stay out of their way, then." Alexander said as the teacher walked in.

"Hello boys and girls under the law," Mr. Washington started.

"I'd like to think I'm pretty far above it at this point," Thomas' southern accent called from the back of the room, followed by muffled snickers.

"And why is that?" Mr. Washington humored.

"Because I'm freaking awesome." More laughs, though some sounded a bit forced. Alexander remembered how controlling over the other students Jefferson sounded.

So he retaliated.

"How did you get into a law class, or even college, if you don't know that being 'awesome' isn't a reason you can be above the law. In fact, no one can be above the law. Not even the President, and he is actually important. So I doubt someone with no legitimate significance, who seems to make the world worse, and is the direct opposite of awesome can be above the law in any way."

The room was silent.

The sound of a chair being pushed across the floor.

"Sit down, Mr. Jefferson," Mr. Washington sighed. "He is correct about no one being above the law."

Alexander's lips turned up into a smug grin as a chair behind him squeaked: the beautiful sound of Alexander winning an argument and one he heard often in his life.

 _So much for staying out of their way._

 **This took me impossibly long to write, on account of me working really hard on procrastinating AP World homework, having musical rehearsal (Damn Yankees), and not having any ideas on how to write this. Thanks for being patient and (actually) awesome!**


	7. Chapter 7

Thomas hated this kid.

It didn't matter who he was (because Thomas didn't know), this kid needed to punished for the sassy, stupid, senseless, shortsighted- _Ugh. Too many "S's"._

All through class, Thomas just thought of ways he could ruin this kid; until James told him to pay attention if he wanted to pass the class.

When the bell rang, Thomas waited for everyone but the Kid to leave to begin his torment.

 _First, knock down their stuff to get their attention._

Thomas stood in front of the Kid's desk and, in one quick move, shoved all of his books onto the floor.

"Hey!" The Kid shouted, scrambling to pick up his things. "What's your damage?"

"Who do you think you are?" Thomas questioned with a glare.

"Well, unless I've travelled into Wonderland, I'm pretty sure I am Alexander Hamilton." He placed his books back on his desk and gave a mocking bow. "I would say 'It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance', but I don't think it's a pleasure at all. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go." But Thomas blocked Hamilton's path.

"Do you know who I am?" Thomas asked. "What I can do to you if you keep talking to me like that?"

"Yes, actually," Hamilton smirked in _the most annoying way._ "You're an asshole and you'll probably go whine to your mommy." There was a flicker of-something. A feeling of some kind-in Hamilton's eyes that intrigued Thomas. "Now, if you'll excuse me."

Thomas stepped to the side. And as Hamilton walked away, Thomas called after him, "Don't think you've won, Hamilton. All you've accomplished is getting yourself on my bad side." Hamilton scoffed and left the room.

A loud cough suddenly rang out, making the brightly dressed boy jump, remembering that James was still in the room.

"Geez, Maddie, could you not be quiet and creepy and, um, 'jumpscare-y'?" Thomas wondered, somewhat sarcastically.

James looked down and mumbled a faint "Sorry..."

"No, no. It's fine," Thomas hurried to apologize. "In fact, that trait of yours is about to be extremely useful."

 **I hope I surprised people by having Thomas's POV all of a sudden. Different POVs are about to start happening more frequently so look forward to that!**

 **Did anyone get the Heathers reference? Anyone? Cool.**


	8. Chapter 8

Peggy Schuyler didn't like boys. At least, not romantically. But she took any chance she had to become friends with someone, male or not.

So when Peggy saw a boy walk in her teaching class with just as poofy hair as her, she decided that to make a friend, she would tell him so.

"Hi there!" Probably not the best approach. The boy almost fell out of his seat, the girl had scared him so bad. "Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry!" Peggy hastily apologized. "I'm just really awkward but I really want to make friends and your hair looks kinda like mine and-" She was silenced when the boy started to laugh. He had pulled one of his curls in front of his face to compare the two.

"It appears you are correct, Mademoiselle," His voice was filled with an incredibly thick French accent. "You are, uh, Peggy Schuyler, correct?"

"Um, yeah. In assuming you've heard of me because of my sisters have talked about me so I'm not going to wonder why you know who I am." The boy chuckled again. "I would like to know who you are, though. And-dumb question-are you from France?"

"Oui, I am from France. My name is Ma-Gil-ugh," He shook his head in frustration, his ponytail whipping the sides of his face. "Just call me Lafayette; Laf for short, if you wish." He stood and gave a little bow.

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Lafayette," Peggy responded with a curtsy. "Before this conversation continues, I should probably tell you that if you ever try to flirt with me, you will get nowhere because I am a straight-up lesbian-"

"I can promise you that will never happen," Laf assured. "For I am-how you say-straight-up gay." The two started to laugh and didn't stop until the class began.

 _I did it._ Peggy thought. _I made a friend without my sisters for the first time in my life._

 **Short filler chapter! Yay! It took me forever to choose between the three sisters for this chapter...okay like an hour. Did anyone think that Peggy was trying to make friends with Thomas at first? Because that was what I was going for!**

 ** _One more thing:_**

 ** _AND PEGGY_**


	9. Chapter 9

"How did you manage to piss someone off _that much_ on your first day of school?" John and Alexander were going to their-well, Laf's-favorite cafe for lunch because Laf had texted the three boys, saying he had something important to tell them.

"I don't know," Alexander shrugged. "It's just something that happens when people realize I'm right all the time."

"So you do this frequently?" Alexander just shrugged again.

"I guess but- _woah_."

Alex and John stopped in their tracks when they got into the cafe. Lafayette was already there, and was sitting next to-

"A Schuyler sister?" John gasped. Lafayette turned his head to see John and Alex, and gestured for them to sit down. "I thought you three were untouchable."

"Ugh," Peggy sighed. "My sisters are really overprotective, and partially because of that, I make close to no friends. So I'm ignoring them this year." She gave a large grin as Hercules ran up to the table.

"What is it? What's wrong? You said there was an emergency, are you-" Herc's eyes landed on Peggy, who waved cheerfully. "Wait, Laf, I thought you were gay."

"I am," Laf stated, then pointed to Peggy. "And so is she."

"Oh, cool."

If John didn't know better, he would say Hercules looked a little _too_ relieved.

"So, what's the deal then?" Herc asked, sitting down.

"Dude, didn't you hear Aaron talking about the Schuyler Sisters?" John whispered to Herc. "They're impossible to get to remember? And yet Laf made friends with one of them. Aren't you surprised?" Hercules shook his head.

"We literally met Laf six days ago and I feel like I've known him for years." Hercules said. "Clearly he can make friends pretty well."

It was true. While Herc and John were talking (with Alex listening in), Laf and Peggy had been having a full conversation that was apparently very funny.

And then Peggy stopped talking and stared straight ahead with fear in her eyes.

"Hide me!" Peggy cried, ducking under the table.

"Why?" Lafayette asked, very concerned.

"Peggy!"

Now imagine you are a toddler at a park. You have just made friends with some other toddlers and are trying to impress them by climbing on top of the tube slide. Your mother happens to be there, talking to one of her friends. Now imagine her tone of voice when she calls your name, telling you to get down. She is clearly saying you are doing something wrong and are in trouble, but she is in public and doesn't want to embarrass herself.

This is the exact tone of voice Angelica had when she called Peggy's name.

 **Just thought I would mention I went back and edited Chapter 7 a little bit so it mentions James coughing because that actually plays a surprisingly big part later. *wink wink***


	10. Chapter 10

_All Eliza saw was him._

Angelica led her to the table of boys their younger sister was hiding under.

But _all Eliza saw was him._

"Peggy, you were supposed to be home for lunch." Angelica stated as Peggy slowly stood up.

 _His deep brown eyes._

"I know," Peggy sighed. "But look!" She pointed at the boys around her. "I made friends! Well, just one at first but they're all really nice and I did it without you! So...ha!" She nodded in satisfaction.

 _His long dark hair._

"I'm sure they're great, darling," Angelica squinted at the four boys. "But you know you have to be home for lunch."

 _He is beautiful._

 _Okay, okay, okay. Do something, Eliza._

"Angelica," Eliza butt in. "What's the harm in Peggy making friends?"

 _Yeah, that's going to help._

"I just want her to make good friends," Angelica gave her sisters a sympathetic look. "And I don't know these people, therefore don't trust them and Peggy come on!" Angelica stomped over to them and reached out to grab Peggy's hand.

"Leave her alone." One of the boys- who had a French accent-shot up and stood between Eliza's sisters. Angelica was too shocked to do anything for a moment, so the boy continued. "I don't know what happened to you to make you this overprotective, but you need to stop and let her live her life."

Everyone involved was taken aback.

Everyone but him. _But why?_

"I am trying to keep her safe," Angelica told him, stepping closer to Peggy. "And you know that. But all you do is complain and defy me-"

He stopped her by saying, in the most beautiful voice, "You're in psychology, aren't you?" Angelica had a look that asked 'How did you know that?' but he continued before she could actually say it. "Because you aren't doing a very good job at it. Your sister has clearly expressed to you that you are hovering over her, basically controlling what she can do and who she can talk to. She even said that she has no actual friends because of you. And if that's not enough, just look at her body language. She hid from you when you waked in and she's trying to make herself smaller to avoid you. She doesn't want to be known as 'and Peggy' and you should respect that before the only way she thinks can be herself is if she's dead."

 _Holy..._

Angelica just gaped at him, then turned her eyes to Peggy as if she just realized something for the first time.

"Peggy, oh my gosh," Angelica said in almost a whisper. "Is this true?" Peggy just nodded with tears in her eyes, and Angelica's eyes started to look the same. Angelica drew Peggy in for a hug. "I'm so sorry, Peggy. I-I can't believe I didn't realize..."

Eliza shyly crept towards him while his sisters were talking.

"Thank you," she whispered. "I'm always too scared to tell her when she's going overboard. She means well, though."

"I'm sure she does, but...never mind." He shook his head, his gorgeous hair swishing around him. "You're Eliza, right?" Eliza nodded quickly. "I'm Alexander." _A perfect name._ He introduced the rest of his friends.

"Hey guys," The boy named John said. "I have to go to class." He smiled at Alexander and left.

"That's our cue to leave, then." When Eliza gave him a confused/pleading look, Alexander answered, "It's not fun if John isn't here." He suddenly took out a notebook and pencil, quickly wrote something down, and gave Eliza the paper. "For you and your sisters." He winked and walked away, his friends not far behind.

Eliza looked down at the paper.

A phone number.

And a signature.

 _~Alexander._

 _AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH_


	11. Chapter 11

She felt like she was in the middle of a mystery movie. The coffee shop was almost as dark as the outside, where it was raining hard.

"We need your help again," James said. "His name is Alexander Hamilton. We need you to find out anything and everything about him and his past. The usual procedure."

After a moment, she shook her head. "I don't want to do this again, James. I've already told you that." She stood and started to leave.

"Wait," James called, stopping her. "If you don't help us, you know what we'll do, right?" She tensed just as lightning struck, knowing exactly what he meant.

Blackmail was an extremely cheap tactic.

But it works so well.

It took John a very long time to realize how weird the group chat was.

It was originally called "VIVA LA REVOLUTION", and was composed by John (drunkturtle), Herc (MFDemiGOD), Laf (BAGUETTE), and Alex (ImmigrantBastard). Then Angelica (BestSis), Eliza (CinnamonRolls), and Peggy (PEGPEG) joined. Eliza had renamed the chat "LGBTQTEES" after the boys found out that Eliza was pansexual and Angelica was aromatic (hence why no one succeeded at flirting with her).

The names weren't even the weird part.

On a particularly stormy night, at about 11 o'clock...

 **PEGPEG** : GUYS THERES A STORM

 **CinnamonRolls** : We know, Peggy.

 **MFDemiGOD** : Thanks for waking me up

 **BAGUETTE** : You were awake watching television

 **drunkturtle** : go to sleep its fucking wednesday

 **PEGPEG** : BUT THERES A FUCKING STORM AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH

 **BestSis** : She likes storms

 **MFDemiGOD** : obviously...

 **CinnamonRolls** : I can hear her jumping on her bed from my room.

 **drunkturtle** : omg she's crazy

 **PEGPEG** : AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHGGGTHIS IS AWESOMEEEEEEE

 **CinnamonRolls** : Where's Alexander?

 **drunkturtle** : probably asleep or doing homework because he's not a crAZY DUMBSHIT WHO WONT STOP TALKING AND WAKING ME THE FUCK UP

 **BAGUETTE** : ...

 **BestSis** : ...ok then...

 **ImmigrantBastard** : hElp

 **MFDemiGOD** : ?

 **ImmigrantBastard** : hELP Me

 **CinnamonRolls** : Alex, what's wrong?

 **ImmigrantBastard** : Ils sont tous morts

 **BAGUETTE** : WAIT WHAT

 **BestSis** : What is it?

 **ImmigrantBastard** : ILS SONT TOUS MORTS

 **BAGUETTE** : JOHN CHECK ON HIM IM COMING OVER

 **drunkturtle** : What did he say?

 **BAGUETTE** : He said "THEY ALL DIED". SOMETHING IS WRONG

 **PEGPEG** : LOOK AT THE LIGHTNING!

 **drunkturtle** : EVERYONE COME OVER NOW. ALEX JUST SCREAMED

 **BestSis** : OMG WE'RE ON OUR WAY

 **MFDemiGOD** : SHIT OK

John hadn't even seen the last two texts. He had shot out of his bed and sprinted into Alexander's room.

To say he was a mess was an understatement.

Alexander was huddled in the corner under his desk. His hair fell loose around his head in a tangled mass. His head was hanging between his knees and his arms were tight against his chest. Alex was shaking and mumbling to himself, jumping at every lightning strike or roll of thunder.

John knelt in front of Alex and grabbed a hold of his shoulders.

"Alex? Alex what's wrong?" John tried to get in Alexander's line of sight, but he always seemed to be looking through John at something in the distance. "Alex, talk to me. What's wrong?" John noticed that his eyes started to fill with tears.

The door to their dorm room slammed open, causing Alexander to shriek. Hercules and Lafayette appeared in Alex's room a moment later.

"Oh mon Dieu," Laf murmured when he saw Alexander and they rushed over immediately.

"What's wrong with him?" Hercules asked John who just shrugged in response.

Alexander suddenly cried out, "Get out of the water!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" John wondered. "There's no water. We're inside." Alex didn't seem to hear him.

"Ils sont tous morts. Ils sont tous morts. Ils sont tous morts." Alex continued to repeat the phrase, shaking his head.

"My God, Alexander!" John shouted. "What's wrong?"

"He has PTSD," The three boys turned at the sound of Eliza's voice behind them. "At least, I'm pretty sure."

Angelica and Peggy stepped inside as Eliza sat down in front of Alexander. She gently placed her hands on his cheeks and turned his head towards her. Eliza leaned forward so that her eyes were just inches away from Alexander's. _Too close,_ John caught himself thinking. Then he remembered what was going on.

"Alexander," Eliza said. "Can you tell me what's happening right now?"

"The hurricane is here," Alex told her, before continuing to chant the French phrase.

"And where are you right now?"

"Nevis."

Eliza turned around and told everyone, "He thinks he's in the middle of a hurricane at home. We have to bring him back to the present before this gets worse."

"How could this possibly get worse?" Herc questioned.

Another lightning strike.

Another scream.

John couldn't take it anymore. He pushed past Eliza and grabbed onto Alexander's arms.

"Alexander, listen to me," John said over the storm outside. "You aren't in Nevis. You're in New York at Princeton College. There's no hurricane; it's just a little bit of rain. No one is dying. None of us are dead. Look at me, Alex. I'm okay. We're okay."

John's voice grew quiet as Alexander's sobs began to fade away and his eyes focused. His body relaxed and he took a few shaky breaths. Alex looked around the room at his friends, finally landing again on John. Alexander let out another wail as he threw himself at John, surrounding him in a hug. The rest joined in, trying to keep Alex safe from the nightmare that was just outside the window.

 **HOLY CRAP that was a loooong one. I like it though, so...it is what it is!**

 **Lams fluff has just started and is about to get stronger! Aw yeah!**

 **Also, mystery lady! Oooboy!**


	12. Chapter 12

Alexander woke up on the floor.

This wasn't entirely strange, considering he had done this more times then he could count.

No, the thing that Alexander didn't understand was why he woke up on the floor with John's arms around him.

There was a moment before Alexander panicked. In this moment, he realized several things at once.

First was that the part of the window Alex could see through the blinds was covered in water droplets.

Second was that the door to Alex's room was open, when he distinctly remembered closing it the night before.

Third was that he didn't remember anything else from the night before, no matter how hard and long he thought about it.

Fourth was that while looking around the room, he had moved slightly, and that after each slight shift, John's hold on him grew tighter.

Fifth was that John was shirtless.

Sixth was that _John is really hot when he's asleep and shirtless and-okay, all the time._

And then the moment was over. All the realizations Alex had had combined in his head, and he panicked.

Alex pushed himself up, waking John almost instantly. Alex started to hyperventilate as John groggily rubbed his eyes and sat up.

"Alex?" John yawned then looked up at Alex with a sudden realization in his eyes. "Oh, crap, Alex." John stood up quickly, causing Alex to back into the wall. "Hey, are you okay?" John stepped closer, but Alexander had no where else to go. "I mean I'm sure you're still stressed over last night-"

"What happened last night?" Alexander questioned suspiciously. John looked at him, confused.

"You don't remember?" Alex shook his head nervously. "Okay...well...there was a storm and you were freaking out a lot so everyone came over to help you calm down and..." John turned his eyes down and rubbed his arms. "You really scared us, Alex."

"Oh my God," Alexander said, figuring out what John was talking about. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I should have told you about this before but I just..." Alex trailed off after John suddenly stepped closer and hugged him.

"It's okay, Alexander," John whispered into Alex's ear, making him shiver. John pulled away but kept his hands on Alex's shoulders and stared right into his eyes. "Can you...Can you tell me what happened?"

They had all decided to meet up at the Schuylers' house after school that day. When they got there, Alexander felt severely underdressed.

Alex decided to call it a mansion, because there was no way it could be classified as a "house". The mansion was enormous ("As big as the White House." John had said). There were huge marble columns next to the double doors at the entrance, and a colorful garden surrounding it all. **(I'm bad at describing things don't judge me.)**

Eliza opened the door and greeted the two boys with a smile, which seemed to be aimed more at Alexander.

"Come on in," Eliza said. John looked incredibly uncomfortable when he stepped inside but Alex ignored it. "Hercules and Lafayette are already here," Eliza mentioned, leading them up a set of marble stairs and into a large bedroom.

The walls were painted a pastel blue and the rug on the floor was a pristine white. All of Alexander's friends, as Eliza had said before, were in what Alex assumed was her room.

When Alex walked in (awkwardly), everyone went quiet. Eliza gestured for Alex to sit next to her on her bed, so he did. John sat on the other side of him.

"I guess I'll start from the beginning and tell you..." Alexander sighed. "Everything..."


	13. Chapter 13

Alexander took a deep breath before he began. "My father...wasn't great. He was a drunk who beat my mother and I. I assume it was because...well, I wasn't really 'planned'. He left when I was ten. We needed money but he just up and left. We needed help and support but _he just left._

"Just two years later, when I was twelve, we got sick. My mother had it worse but she used all the money we had to get medicine for me.

"She died after just a few months. She died while I was in her arms.

"A cousin of mine let me stay with him. It was fine for a couple of years; I even got a job at a store to make my own money.

"Then I went home one day to find out my cousin had hung himself. I never knew why...And at this point, I wanted to as well.

"The owner of the shop I worked at let me stay in an extra room he had if I worked more with less pay. I agreed and eventually I got so good at the job, the owner nicknamed me after someone he knew when he was young: Usnavi. Soon enough, I became the manager of the place.

"Then, when I was seventeen, there was a hurricane. We didn't even see it coming. The entire town was destroyed. Only a fraction of us survived.

"No one can truly understand the strange serenity of seeing a hundred dead people until they see it after a hurricane. It was so quiet afterwards, as if time had completely stopped. In this period of desperation, I did the only thing I really knew: I wrote.

"I wrote about people's pain and suffering in the aftermath. I wrote about all the death and devastation I had lived through. Someone read my story and sent it to Princeton. I was accepted, miraculously. The people in my town raised money for me to come to America for college. The only reasons I'm here are a scholarship and 51 pieces of paper..."

Alexander had been crying since the beginning of his speech. At some point, Eliza had taken hold of Alex's hand. When Alex finished, his sobs grew louder and he leaned on John's shoulder. When Alex felt John's arms wrap around him, he cried harder.

"I love you guys," Alexander mumbled after a few minutes.

Then, in a whisper only Alex could hear, John said, "I love you, too."

 **This was a short one but MAJOR FLUFF at the end so YAY!**


	14. Chapter 14

Sometimes Eliza wished she wasn't so nice.

In the week after Alexander's "incident", Eliza noticed him and John getting close. Very close.

And Eliza hated that she didn't mind.

Eliza hated that she didn't mind that they talked to each other more than anyone else. She hated that she didn't mind the look in their eyes anytime they saw each other. She hated that she didn't mind the way they smiled at each other.

Eliza hated that she wanted them to be together.

But what she hated most was that neither of them saw what she could see.

"This is just got a lot harder than expected," Thomas sighed.

"What's wrong?" James wondered.

"Hamilton has friends."

"So?"

"Half of them are the Schuyler Sisters."

"Oh, shit..." James mumbled. "Do you think she can still do the job?"

Thomas laughed. "I _know_ she can do the job. As long as we say we'll keep her little secret, she'll do whatever we tell her to."

She couldn't believe she was doing this. Most people probably thought She was still friends with Jefferson and Madison, but in reality: _God_ did She hate their guts.

But She also _absolutely could not_ let anyone know about... _that_.

So now She stood just down the hall from her calculus class, waiting for someone to go inside. Thomas and James had given her a new way to do the job: "Get with the girl, and you'll get all the information you need."

If She was being honest, she enjoyed the idea of the first half of the plan.

The class was just about to start when Peggy Schuyler finally ran into the classroom. A moment later, She walked in, too.

"Do you mind if I sit next to you?" She asked Peggy. Of course, she would say yes. There weren't enough people in the class to fill all the seats, but all the desks in the front were already taken.

Peggy looked up at her and smiled wide. "Sure! I'm Peggy!" She shook the younger girl's hand.

 _Thomas was right. She is cute._

"My name is Maria."

 **Oh boy! Three POVs in one chapter! And, yup, you called it! Mystery girl is Maria. Congratulations!**


	15. Chapter 15

**PEGPEG** : GUYS HEY HEY HEY HEY GUYS HEY HEY GUYS HEEEEYYYY

 **drunkturtle** : OMG WHAT PEGGY

 **MFDemiGOD** : Jesus. What

 **PEGPEG** : I MADE ANOTHER FRIEND *happy little dance*

 **CinnamonRolls** : That's great, Peggy!

 **BestSis** : Who is it?

 **PEGPEG** : Her name is Maria Lewis-Reynolds but it's pronounced Mariah and people usually just call her Maria Reynolds instead of her full name

 **BAGUETTE** : you also say a lot when you are texting, I see

 **drunkturtle** : like someone else I know... *cough cough Alexander cough cough*

 **ImmigrantBastard** : HEY!

 **drunkturtle** : I'm not wrong am I?

 **ImmigrantBastard** : Everyone but me is usually wrong.

 **drunkturtle** : ...but you didn't deny it

 **MFDemiGOD** : this is cute

 **ImmigrantBastard** : I will walk all the way from the dorm to your class just to slap you.

 **drunkturtle** : I'd love the company ;)

 **BAGUETTE** : aaaawwwww

 **ImmigrantBastard** : ...*blush*

 **MFDemiGOD** : AAAAAAAWWWWW

 **drunkturtle** : are you coming over or not? I kinda wanna see that blush in person... *wink wink*

 **BAGUETTE** : we need more aw's! Where are the sisters?

The sisters were all in completely different places. Peggy was still in calculus, Angelica was in literature (her minor), and Eliza was at home.

As soon as Angelica found out who Peggy's 'friend' was, she texted her sisters and told them to come home as soon as their classes were over.

"Aw, why?" Peggy had whined.

"Because I said so!" was Angelica's response.

"You're being overprotective again," Peggy cried when she stomped into Angelica's room a half hour later.

"I don't think she is," Eliza said, then quickly added, "At least not this time."

"How so?" Peggy questioned.

"Because Maria is one of the reasons I get like that!" Angelica shouted, silencing her youngest sister's complaining. Angelica sighed and calmly said, "Peggy, I'm sorry I never told you why but I'll tell you now..."

Eliza was too trusting and kind for her own good. Angelica knew this extremely well. So when Eliza's first day at college arrived, Angelica told her to be careful at least a hundred times.

Then James Madison had asked Eliza out in the second month of school, and he was nice. But Hames hung out with Thomas, so Eliza had to as well. And, to put it simply, Thomas wasn't as nice.

But Eliza liked James. Until he became not as nice. And then they broke up and it broke Eliza's heart.

After Christmas break, Eliza met Maria, and she was nice. They became best friends, and even Angelica thought she was cool. Eliza and Maria told each other stories and secrets.

Then Angelica saw Maria talking to Thomas one day but didn't think anything of it.

But then, the very next day, Eliza's secrets got out. And Eliza was broken again.

And then Angelica got very, very angry.

"So..." Peggy hesitated when Angelica had finished. "What does that have to do with me?"

"We just don't want the same thing to happen to you," Eliza said sweetly.

"Well, it won't," Peggy rebelled, standing to leave. "Because I think she's nice and cute and if I think she shouldn't be trusted, then I'll stop talking to her." Peggy had gotten into the doorway but turned around just before she left. "But I really think you two should give her a chance."


	16. Chapter 16

Maria was more than surprised when Peggy invited her to lunch with her friends the next day.

She was even more surprised when they saw who they were.

"Why hello again," Maria smirked at the boys, walking up to the table behind Peggy.

"Pardon?" The French one asked.

"I wouldn't expect you to remember me," Maria said nonchalantly. "I did give you a lot of drinks." It took a moment, but a look of realization appeared on the freckled face of John Laurens-if Maria remembered what Peggy had told her correctly.

"You were the bartender!" John shouted, to which Maria bowed. "Dude, you're the best!"

"Thank you, John." Maria sat down next to Angelica, with Peggy on her other side. She knew Angelica hated her, and she had every right to.

"So, what are you going to school for, Maria?" Alexander inquired with a grin. Maria mentally rolled her eyes. Most people who asked this question made jokes about her. Sure, Maria knew she was nice to look at, but asking why "she was even going to school when she could be a stripper?" That _really_ pissed her off.

So Maria got quite a bit of joy out of seeing their faces when she answered, "I'm a business major; going to be a CEO of a big company one day."

Alexander gaped. "That's awesome!" Maria just smiled in response.

Angelica suddenly cleared her throat and said, "Sorry to bring up the past, but are you still friends with Jefferson and Madison?"

Maria turned her head down as the others went silent. "I've never been friends with them," She mumbled. "They're literally blackmailing me right now." Maria nervously laughed, then stopped abruptly. "They know something about me that no one should know and the only I can get them to keep that secret is if I do what they want. That's why I did what I did last year. I shouldn't even be telling you this, but I could really use some help in getting out of this somehow, so if you could just play along or-"

Peggy leaned over and wiped the tears off of Maria's cheeks.

"We'll help you," Peggy told her. The boys all nodded in agreement. Peggy looked over at her sisters with an expecting stare. Angelica sighed and nodded, too.

Eliza placed her hand on Maria's shoulder and said, "I'll do whatever I can."

 **Hey hey hey! Just wanted to let you know that a lot of the upcoming chapters have a bunch of major Lams in them so get freaking excited! I'm excited! Whoo!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Hey! So, quick note: part of this chapter is a flashback. Do not think I accidentally put a previous chapter in. I'm only saying this because I usually think that. You may now proceed.**

Eliza prided herself on being close to her sisters. So, once a week, she would plan something to do with one or both of them. Today, was a bright, sunny day; perfect for taking a walk in the park with Angelica.

"I think Peggy likes Maria," Angelica started. "Like, a lot."

Eliza nodded at the statement. "How long until they get together?" Although Angelica was aromatic, she was surprisingly good at guessing things like this.

"I'd say two weeks at the earliest," Then she quickly added, " _If_ Maria is really telling the truth."

"Well _I_ trust her," Eliza stated, holding her head up high. Angelica just rolled her eyes. "What about Hercules and Lafayette?" Eliza questioned, changing the subject.

"What about them?" Angelica asked, confused.

"You don't see it?" Angelica shook her head. "They are definitely getting together at some point."

"Sure they are," Angelica laughed and took a seat on a bench. Eliza sat down just as her sister said, "What about you and Alex-"

"No."

"What? Come on. You totally like him." Eliza didn't respond. "Okay, what's wrong?"

"Alex doesn't like me back," Eliza whispered. "Not the same way, anyway. And before you say anything, I _do_ know it's true. He told me."

Angelica quickly picked up on Eliza's sadness. "What happened? I'll hurt him if he did anything." Eliza shook her head.

"No, no. It's okay, really. I just...ugh..."

 **/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

Sometimes Eliza wished she wasn't so nice.

In the week after Alexander's "incident", Eliza noticed him and John getting close. _Very_ close.

And Eliza hated that she didn't mind.

Eliza hated that she didn't mind that they talked to each other more than anyone else. She hated that she didn't mind the look in their eyes anytime they saw each other. She hated that she didn't mind the way they smiled at each other.

Eliza hated that she wanted them to be together.

But what she hated most was that neither of them saw what she could see.

"Alexander, can I talk to you for a minute?" Eliza asked when she saw the boy in between classes.

"Uh...sure," Eliza immediately pulled him into a small, empty room. "What are you-"

"What's going on between you and John?" Eliza frantically asked.

"Wh-what? N-nothing's going on."

"You stuttered and blushed. You're lying." Eliza stated. Alex gulped. "Now what's going on? Are you two together or not?"

"...No," Alex sighed sadly.

"Then hurry up and get with him already." Eliza stressed.

"Why are you doing this?" Alexander was clearly getting frightened.

"Because I did _not_ sacrifice my love for you for nothing!" Eliza blurted. Both of their eyes widened. "Oh, god..."

"Eliza..." Alex whispered. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't-"

"No, it's fine." Eliza rubbed her eyes.

"Listen, Eliza, I'm truly sorry, but...you're like a sister to me, if you want me to be honest." Alexander was trying his best to be sympathetic, Eliza could tell.

"I appreciate the apology, but it's not needed." Eliza straightened her back a bad gathered her things. "As long as he makes you happy, then I'll be happy." Eliza gave Alexander a slight smile before she left.

 **/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

"Oh, Eliza," Angelica held her sister in a hug. "I'm so proud of you for doing something like that, but I'm also very surprised that you even did that at all."

"Yeah," Eliza sniffled. "I just think Alex would be happier with John is all."

"For once I'm glad you're so overly kind, Eliza," Angelica released her sister from the hug. "Because I would never be able to do that."

 **Before the major Lams starts, I want to say thank you to all of you who read, and for some reason like, this story. I feel like I'm being noticed by a collective Senpai and that makes me really happy, so thanks so much and I love you all!**


	18. Chapter 18

"Hey Angelica," Alexander smiled, opening the door to his dorm. "I'm sorry, but our doom is kind of a mess right now and John won't be back until after I leave for class."

"That's quite alright, Alexander," Angelica assured him, stepping inside. "I just wanted to talk to you."

"About what?" As soon as Angelica heard Alex close the door, she whipped around, making him jump back.

"How dare you," Angelica tried her best to keep from shouting.

"Woah, I know I do a lot of bad things but you're going to have to be more specific." Alexander laughed nervously.

"You broke my sister's heart! And, if that wasn't enough, you won't let her be happy by asking John out!"

Alex blinked and his expression changed from confusion to anger. " _That's_ what this is about? Seriously? Maybe if you guys stop meddling with my life, I'd actually be able to _do_ something!" He took a step towards Angelica. "You, Eliza, Peggy, even Laf and Herc; you just keep telling me to do things that I'm not ready to do!" Alexander ran a hand through his hair and sighed. Angelica hesitantly walked up to him and gave him a small hug.

"I'm sorry," Angelica said quietly. "I know I can go overboard sometimes." Alexander nodded fervently. "But we think you would be better off if you did this." Angelica started to leave but Alex stopped her.

"And what if he says no?"

"Trust me," Angelica smirked. "I've seen the way John looks at you. He's not going to say no." And with that, she was gone.

Alexander didn't want to admit it, but Angelica was right. He had liked John from the moment he first saw him at the bar. But he could never bring himself to talk to John about it.

At least not in person.

So after twenty minutes of thinking, with five minutes before he had to leave for class, and fifteen minutes before John got back, Alexander picked up a pencil and did what he did best.

John always let out a sigh of relief when he stepped back into his dorm after a class. But Alex was barely there when he got back, so he didn't have anyone to talk to.

As John headed to the kitchen to get a drink, his mind was invaded by thoughts of Alexander. Again.

John wished he had the courage to talk to him, but he just found that he couldn't. Butterflies would form in his stomach every time he saw Alexander, let alone try to talk to him.

John sighed again. Then saw a neatly folded piece of paper with John's name written on it in fancy lettering. Alex's handwriting.

John shakily picked up the paper, begging that it wasn't what he thought it was; yet silently hoping that it was.

It took everything John had within him not to gasp or cry or scream or throw up when he read the first lines.

 _My Dear Laurens,_

 _It might be in my power, by action rather than words, to convince you that I love you..._


	19. Chapter 19

Alexander was too scared to go back to his dorm after class. Instead, he started walking around the park and started a group chat with Herc and Lafayette.

 **ImmigrantBastard** : Guys, I'm scared. I need your help.

 **BAGUETTE** : with what mon ami?

 **ImmigrantBastard** : I did it.

 **MFDemiGOD** : did what?

 **ImmigrantBastard** : I told John that I like him.

 **BAGUETTE** : FINALLY

 **MFDemiGOD** : that's great man but now I owe Peggy 20 bucks...fuck me

 **BAGUETTE** : volontier

 **ImmigrantBastard** : I can still speak French, Laf.

 **BAGUETTE** : please do not tell him

 **MFDemiGOD** : I'll just ignore that. what did John say?

 **ImmigrantBastard** : I don't know. I just wrote him a letter and left it for him to read. He hasn't texted me or anything so now I'm just walking around the park because I'm scared.

 **BAGUETTE** : we will tell tell you if your amour says anything

 **MFDemiGOD** : you should just talk to him yourself

 **ImmigrantBastard** : I can't do that!

Alexander was suddenly distracted from the chat when a drop of water fell on his nose. He glanced up and saw that the sky had turned grey. A few more drops landed on his head.

 _Oh no..._

John couldn't stay in one place for the remainder of the day. He kept pacing around the dorm, sitting down, standing up again, and repeating the cycle.

He wanted-needed-to talk to Alexander in person, to tell him how he felt. John wanted to say how happy Alex made him; how much he wanted to hold Alex close at night; how much he wanted to kiss him.

But Alexander was no where to be seen. His last class had ended two hours ago, but Alex hadn't come back yet.

Of course, John didn't truly panic until he heard the soft pitter-patter of rain on his window.

 **drunkturtle** : have any of you seen Alex?

 **CinnamonRolls** : No. Is something wrong?

 **BestSis** : not since earlier today

 **MFDemiGOD** : why?

 **drunkturtle** : because he was supposed to be back two hours ago and when was the last time you looked outside?

 **PEGPEG** : HOLY CRAP ITS RAINING

 **CinnamonRolls** : oh no

 **BAGUETTE** : he is in the park

John didn't even bother grabbing a coat. He ran out of his dorm building at lightning speed and sprinted to the park. The rain was like a sheet in front of his face, preventing him from seeing anything. John called out to Alex but his voice was lost in the sound of the pouring rain.

But miraculously, John heard something. The sound of Alexander crying out in fear not too far away.

John found him curled into a ball under a tree, hands over his ears, and rocking back and forth.

"Oh, God, Alex!" John ran up to the terrified boy and wrapped his arms around him. "Alexander, look at me," John pleaded, but Alex's eyes were shut tight. "Alex, you aren't in a hurricane. I'm right here. Look at me. _Please!_ "

John didn't know what to do besides to cry. This attack was much worse than the previous one; so much so that John couldn't even pry Alex's hands off of his head.

John also didn't know if Alexander could hear him when he said, "Alex, please. You're scaring me. I hate seeing you like this. You're always so smart and brave and funny, but this...Oh, Alex, snap out of it!" By this point, John was bawling just as much as Alexander. They sat like this for a moment: Alexander not aware of John's presence, and John praying for that to change.

John held Alexander's weeping face in his hands, and studied it with teary eyes.

And then, as if it was a last resort, John kissed him. He just closed his eyes, leaned forward, and kissed him.

And it seemed like the rain was suddenly gone.

Alexander gasped, making John back up in surprise. Alex just stared at him for a second.

"Alex, I'm so sorry," John said quickly. "I just-you were having another attack and I didn't know what to do and I read your letter earlier and I-"

Alexander grabbed the sides of John's head and pulled him into another kiss. John tensed but melted into it instantly.

And although it was still raining, neither of them really cared anymore.

 **You're welcome.**


	20. Chapter 20

After Alexander's attack, John lead him back to the dorm where they fell asleep, Alex in John's arms once again.

The next morning, John awoke to the sound of his phone buzzing like crazy on the table next to his bed. When he reached over to it, Alex, still asleep, hugged John tighter and nuzzled his face into John's chest. A small smile formed on John's freckled face, but then he groaned when he finally read the texts in the group chat.

 **BAGUETTE** : did you find him?

 **CinnamonRolls** : Is Alexander alright?

 **BestSis** : John please tell us if he's okay

 **MFDemiGOD** : ANSWER YOUR FREAKING PHONE

 **BAGUETTE** : Si vous ne nous dites pas ce qui s'est passé, je vais personnellement sonner votre cou.

 **PEGPEG** : if you guys aren't talking because you're doing the do, I would like to let you know that NOW ISN'T REALLY THE BEST TIME

 **drunkturtle** : MY GOD PEGGY SHUT UP

John tried his best to cover up his blush as Alexander shifted in his arms. John sent out a final text, telling everyone to meet at the usual cafe in an hour, just as Alex's eyes fluttered open.

"Morning Sleeping Beauty," John said, running his hand through Alex's hair. Alexander just hummed as John lightly kissed the top of his head. Alex turned his head up and gained a kiss on the lips. One that John hoped would never end.

But then his phone buzzed again and John pulled away from a puppy-eyed Alexander.

"I know," John replied to Alex's pouting. "I would love to continue, too. But I'd rather not prove Peggy right."

"So," Angelica started. "You are one hundred percent sure you're okay?"

"Yes," Alexander laughed. "I'm perfectly fine."

"You better be," John mumbled, glancing at Alex.

There were a few beats of silence before Herc said, "Can you two go one day without flirting with each other?"

"Not really," John answered. "At least, not anymore." Alex and John both blushed and grinned as they raised their intertwined hands above the table.

Another moment of silence.

The Schuyler Sisters, Maria, even Laf and Hercules; they all squealed like eight year olds on Christmas. Their voices clouded together in a mass of excitement.

Herc: "Fucking finally!"

Angelica: "Congratulations!"

Laf: "Oh mon Dieu, oh mon Dieu C'est si mignon! Je suis si heureux pour toi!"

"Okay, okay. I get it Lafayette," Alex giggled. John smiled and pulled Alexander closer to him, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Aaaawwwwww!"

"Shut up!"

 **It took me soooo long to figure out what to write so I hope this was good. The next chapters might take me a while to write, too. I'm having trouble coming up with ideas right now. Although, I will let you know: Thomas is coming back.**


	21. Chapter 21

Aaron was good at reading people. So when Alexander basically skipped into the classroom on Monday, Aaron knew something was going good for him.

"What's up with you?" Aaron asked with a smile.

Alexander just giggled. "Nothing much."

Aaron recognized the look on Alex's face. "Wait a minute. You're in love, aren't you?" Alexander giggled again. "Sweet Jesus..." Aaron grinned, understanding the feeling. **(But that shall be explained later)**

"Hello students," Mr. Washington called, starting the class. "Now, today is the annual Debate Kickoff. And, as some of you know, on the first day, we don't have any 'normal' debates." A few upperclassmen in the room cheered, but Alexander just turned to Aaron with a confused look.

"Just wait for it," Aaron smirked, holding up a finger **(the index one! Geez!)**.

"For all of the new students who don't know," Mr. Washington continued. "The first debate of the year is what we call 'Debate Kickoff'. What we do is pit two students against each other but put them in place of two historical figures who debated long ago. The fun part is: the debate has to be a performance of some kind." All the students in the room began murmuring in excitement. Even Alexander looked like he had an idea already. "Now this performance can be a play, song and dance, whatever you want."

"Can I do a rap?" Two voices asked at once. One was Alexander, which surprised Aaron to an extent. The other was _that southern mother-_

"Of course you can," Mr. Washington said. "And since you're both so eager, you can go against each other." Aaron expected at least one of them to be angry about that, but they both seemed quite pleased with themselves.

"This is going to be fun," Alex told Aaron when the class ended.

"I'm totally gonna beat him in that debate," Thomas boasted when him and James stepped into their dorm room.

James coughed into his handkerchief (a fancier one from France that Thomas gave him) and sat on the couch. Then he sighed, "Sure, Thomas." The taller boy frowned and shook his hair away from his face. "Some stuff happened with Hamilton over the weekend." Thomas perked up and hopped onto the couch.

"What'd you get, Jemmy?" Thomas asked excitedly. James smiled at the nickname and Thomas' happiness.

"I spied on him and his friends in the cafe on Saturday and found some stuff out," James started. "First of all, he stared dating someone named John Laurens." Thomas gasped and grinned. "He's also afraid of storms."

Thomas took a deep breath as if he was going to say something, then began laughing.

"Wait...seriously?" Thomas asked between giggles. "Storms? That's so stupid."

"Yes, I guess it is, but," James coughed a few times. "I didn't get the context of the situation so we don't know if there's a reason for-"

"You aren't suggesting that we _don't_ use this amazing information?" Thomas pretended to be shocked. James just shrugged and raised an eyebrow. "Fine," Thomas pinched the bridge of his nose. "We'll wait on this one. Because I like you." Thomas stood to leave, patting James on the head as he did.

"Where are you going?" James wondered, hurrying to follow Thomas.

"If we can't use the information that _you_ got on Hamilton," the taller boy said, opening the front door. "Then we'll use what _I_ know on someone _he_ knows."

 **So...this chapter sucks. But I have something planned that needed to be instigated by Thomas in this chapter. Also, yes, I am talking about Theodosia.**


	22. Chapter 22

It had become a routine for the LGBTQTEES to meet at the cafe at least three times a week, much to Lafayette's pleasure. Lafayette didn't have many good memories from his life in France, but he still liked to keep his home in mind.

And on this Monday, he had to keep his home in mind for a long time.

"Non, it is pronounced 'sous-vêtements'," Lafayette stressed to John who tried, and failed, to say the word.

"How are you saying 'underwear' wrong?" Alexander laughed at his boyfriend. Lafayette mentally sighed, his heart filling with happiness for his friends' new relationship.

"Hey Laf," Peggy snickered. "How do you say-" She whispered in Lafayette's ear and he giggled in return.

"Je suis sur mon période," Alexander had to cover his mouth to keep from laughing too loud.

"Oh, no," Angelica sighed. "Peggy, what did you make him say?"

Peggy had to take several deep breaths before she could answer. "He said, 'I'm on-"

"Don't look now, guys," Maria grumbled, covering the side of her face. Everyone did the opposite of what she suggested and looked up, immediately regretting their decision.

"Hello, y'all!"

 _Bon sang._

"Thomas Jefferson and James Madison," Alexander gave a pained smile. "How wonderful to see you here."

"Don't act like you don't love me, Hamilton," Thomas smirked and turned to the girls. "Angelica, Eliza, and Maria; I haven't talked to you in so long."

"That's probably because we've been avoiding you," Angelica sneered. Her and Jefferson glared at each other for a moment.

Madison coughed, emphasizing the awkward silence.

"Well," Thomas started. "I just wanted to say hi. After all, a couple of you haven't met me before."

"We didn't want to," John mentioned. Hercules and Peggy nodded in agreement but Thomas continued as if he didn't say anything.

"And I also had to say hello to my beloved little cousin."

 _Merde._

"Cousin?" Hercules wondered.

Lafayette sighed in frustration. "Go away, Thomas.

"Wait," Alexander gasped. "You're Jefferson's cousin?" Even James looked surprised.

Lafayette's head dropped onto the table and he sighed, "Unfortunately."

"Can't you see the resemblance?" Thomas flipped his hair behind his head. Everyone stared between the two apparent relatives with their mouths agape.

"S'il vous plaît," Lafayette pleaded. "Allez-vous en Thomas."

"What?" Jefferson gasped. "Don't you love your family?" Lafayette's head shot up and saw a devilish grin form on his cousin's face. "Oh, that's right," Thomas leaned across the table. " _You don't._ "

"Tais-toi."

"Leave him alone, Jefferson," Hercules demanded.

"Trying to protect him, huh?" Thomas laughed maniacally. "If you do that, he might beat you up and leave the country-"

"Arrêtez! Arrête ça!" Lafayette suddenly stood, the people around him jumping in surprise. The French man pushed past his tormentor and ran out of the cafe that reminded him of home too much.

 **So...yeah...**

 **By the way, does anyone ship Mullette?**

 **Just wondering...**


	23. Chapter 23

"What the hell was that, Jefferson?" Hercules nearly shouted.

"I'm just telling you to be careful around him," Thomas shrugged. "He's known as the bad kid in our family."

"Are you sure you aren't talking about yourself?" Peggy inquired.

Thomas threw his arms up in defense. "Fine, don't trust me. If you want to know more, you can ask him." He turned on his heel and gestured for Madison to follow him. As soon as they left, Mulligan stood up.

"I'm checking on Laf," Hercules said.

"We're going with you," Eliza told him, hastily gathering her things.

"Oh...um, okay," Herc stuttered. "It's just...Laf didn't seem like he wanted to talk about it yet, so I was just going to-"

"We get it," John said. "You want to talk to him alone. Just go, then." Hercules nodded gratefully and headed out.

Hercules eventually found Lafayette in their dorm room. He was sitting on his bed crying when Herc walked in.

"Laf? What's wrong, man?" Hercules asked, sitting next to his friend.

"Tout est mauvais," Lafayette sobbed.

Mulligan sighed, "You know I can't speak French, Laf."

"I- I tried to love them," Lafayette mumbled.

"Your family?" Hercules wondered, getting a nod in return. "What-what happened?"

"When I was eight, my father passed away in the military. I was an only child, so it was just my mother and I, with occasional visits from my grandmother.

"After my father died, my mother did everything she could to keep me safe. But...she went a bit, how you say, overboard. She would not allow me to go to my friends' homes or let them come over to mine. When I went into secondary school-high school, as you call it-my mother began homeschooling me.

"Then, she would not let me leave the house at all. She even barricaded me in my room, and whenever I tried to leave, she would hit me and throw me back inside.

"After months of this I began to think about...things. I wondered if my mother was right and if what she was doing truly was keeping me safe. I would also think-oh Dieu, I am sorry for this-I would think of ways to, uh, 'get away'.

"But then I realized that my mother was, in fact, _not_ keeping me safe and that I had no need for thoughts like those.

"And that was the day I fought back. I feel that is self-explained...

"I lived with my grandmother for a few weeks, then was given the option to go to college in America. In New York. I accepted immediately and now I am here. With a better family. You and John and Alexander and Angelica and Eliza and Peggy and now Maria as well. With you I feel truly...safe."

 **Hey hey hey this was fun, wasn't it? So I was considering this but I didn't know if it was wanted/needed but I was asked so here you go:**

 **Tout est mauvais = All is bad/Everything is wrong**

 **And if you haven't figured it out:**

 **Oh mon Dieu = Oh my God**


	24. Chapter 24

"Are you absolutely sure that was necessary to bring up?" Maria yelled. She had stormed in-completely uninvited-to Thomas' and James' dorm room and was now verbally wondering what their problem was. That very day, Jefferson had made Lafayette run out of the cafe. That very day, Hercules had to help Lafayette tell his story to the others without crying.

"It wasn't necessary _per se_ ," Jefferson cooed walking towards Maria. "But it was _fun_. And isn't a little fun a good thing?"

"What you did was not 'good'," Maria retorted. "It was sadistic and horrible and...and-"

"Well if you aren't going to do your job then I have to do much more than what you think is 'necessary'," Thomas suddenly shouted. Maria shut her mouth. "So unless you decide to stop flirting with that stupid rich girl and start getting some information on this annoying prick, I'll have to cause more problems than what you're prepared for. And I doubt that'll turn out well for you, you dumb, useless, _slut_."

Maria had backed against the wall as Thomas stepped towards her; she was on the verge of tears.

"F-fine," Maria hesitated. "I'll do your dirty work." Thomas smirked as Maria wiped her eyes. "But this is the last time...and I can swear that on my life." She left the room with a dark look on her face, slamming the door behind her.

James had to clear his throat several times before he was able to speak.

"Why don't we just get someone else to do this, Thomas?" James suggested.

"Because Maria is stupid enough to believe that we're blackmailing with something that would actually hurt her socially," Thomas reminded him.

"Well, then, stop blackmailing her with that and find something else to use."

"That's just it, Jemmy," Thomas sighed. "We don't have anything else to use against her. She hasn't done anything wrong that I know of besides _that_ and it wasn't even her fault."

There was a short silence before James coughed. "Do you ever feel bad?" Thomas looked away from James for a second.

"About Maria's blackmail? Sure I-"

"No," James interjected. "I mean about hurting all these people."

Thomas blinked and stayed quiet for a while. "Sometimes..." he finally said. "Sometimes...if they aren't complete assholes like Hamilton."

James sighed and coughed a couple more times, to which Thomas perked up.

"Is-is your cough getting worse, Jemmy?" James shook his head hastily earning a squint from Thomas.

"Okay, then. Let's go plan the destruction of a piece of Hamiltrash."

...

"Okay, that was a good one."

"I know, right?"

 **Guess who's back? Back again? It's Maya with an extreme lack of ideas for the time being but a ton of ideas for future chapters. Haha yeah...**

 **I also happen to be the pun queen if you haven't noticed. Mwahaha. There will be more. Mwahaha.**


	25. Chapter 25

_His hair whipped around his face in the harsh wind as he walked through town._

 _The rain caused the waves to rise unnaturally quick around him._

 _The water just surrounded him, though; walls of murky blue falling and rising everywhere he looked._

 _He was reminded of a story his mother would tell about someone named Moses._

 _The walls of water looked like the glass walls of an aquarium, letting him see the creatures inside without the risk of being hurt by them._

 _They weren't sea creatures._

 _They were people._

 _If they were dead, they simply floated through the water with glassy eyes and bloody bodies._

 _If they were alive, they thrashed about, trying their best to swim or breathe or scream for help._

 _They would always scream and cry and beg for his help._

 _He was more scared of the living than the dead._

 _The last people he saw were his mother and cousin when they washed up on the land in front of him._

 _The rain calmed as he bent closer to their corpses with tears in his eyes._

 _Then there was the sound of a door slamming closed._

Alexander gasped loudly as he quickly sat up in bed and out of John's grasp.

"Alex?" John yawned and sat up, lightly hugging his boyfriend from behind. Alexander flinched at the touch. "Babe, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

"No-no, I mean-ugh," Alex shook his head and rubbed his eyes. John kissed his cheek but didn't get anything in response, not even a smile.

"Okay, no," John frowned. "What's wrong?" He asked sternly this time.

"I-I just-it was just a nightmare," Alexander choked out. John noticed that Alex was shaking and whispering to himself.

"Oh, Alex, you aren't having another attack, are you?" John fretted, moving to sit in front of Alexander. He hadn't had an attack since the night in the park, which was three and a half weeks ago. John concluded that New York needed to fix its weather.

"N-no," Alex took a deep, shaky breath. "It's just...I haven't had I dream like that since the night that I met you. It just surprised me is all." John studied Alex's face for a moment.

"What did you dream about?" Alexander's eyes widened.

"Um, you know, _things_..." John nodded in slow understanding and pushed himself off of the bed.

John made breakfast for himself and Alex while the latter, the boy he had fallen completely in love with, was taking a shower.

 _Wait, what? I-I never-_

 **Don't deny it.**

While the two were eating on the couch and watching old cartoons, Alexander lazily rested on John's shoulder, and John would pet or kiss his head every couple of minutes.

"So..." John eventually said. "It's Saturday."

"Yeah, and?" Alex questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"We should go out."

"Like, on a date?" John grinned at the blush forming on the smaller boy's face.

"Well, yeah. I mean, it's hard to say that we're dating if we've never been on an actual date."

"Um...okay," A small smile tugged at Alexander's face. "Where should we go?"

"The aquarium," John suggested.

"You sound like you've been planning to go there for a while," Alexander laughed. John pouted earning more giggles from Alex. "Okay, we can go. But mainly because I feel like you're going to bring me there against my will if I say no."

John rolled his eyes and laughed with feigned nervousness. "What? Why would I do something like that-let's go!" Alex nearly shrieked when John suddenly grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the dorm.

Alexander couldn't decide if he should or shouldn't go to an aquarium with John again.

On one hand, John had never looked so excited in all the time Alex had known him.

On the other hand, John seemed to forget that Alexander existed when they found the sea turtle exhibit. It took Alex twenty minutes, the promise of candy, and all the strength he had to get John to leave that part of the building.

On one hand, Alex wanted to be able to see John's bright and happy face as much as he could.

On the other hand,Alexander wanted to leave as soon as possible. The glass enclosures in the aquarium reminded him of his dream, and Alex was afraid that even John's bright smile wouldn't be able to bring him out of that dark place.

 **I felt like a major Lams chapter was due so here ya go you fangirls or fanboys or fanpeople.**

 **You probably don't need to know how many times I accidentally wrote Jihn instead of John but it happened a lot today. Probably because I'm tired and stressed and just generally felling blah. I don't know. Anyway...**

 **Should I write the lyrics to the rap battle or just explain how it happens? Because I can't choose and I feel like I'm too lazy to do either but I have to do one so help me decide maybe? Thank.**


	26. Chapter 26

**Okay so to explain the upcoming rap battle in case you don't full understand because I'm confusing: In this AU the founding fathers should be Lin and Daveed (and the glorious Oak Tree himself). But since their names don't fit the lines of the rap I made the rules of this project seem somewhat complicated, at least to me. Essentially, Thomas and Alexander (and James) have to pretend that they are the founding fathers. This means that they don't act like them, but they have taken their places. This is why I haven't changed the names being said in the battle. You may now proceed.**

"Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison," Mr. Washington called out. "You three are up next."

Alexander jumped out of his seat and ran up to the front of the classroom. In his arms was a stack of papers containing his notes in case he needed them.

Thomas, however, took his time strolling across the room with James close behind (James was able to join in because there were an odd number of people in the class, which seemed to make Thomas very happy).

The three boys took their places on opposite sides of Mr. Washington. Thomas and Alexander both had extremely smug grins on their faces.

Mr. Washington quieted the class and began the presentation. "These three gentlemen," Mr. Washington said, addressing the performers to the class. "Will be acting in the place of founding fathers involved in the first Cabinet meeting that took place on February 25, 1793. Alexander will take the place of Treasury Secretary Lin-Manuel Miranda, Thomas will play State Secretary Daveed Diggs, and James will play Okieriete Onaodowan. I will be in the place of President George Washington. Now, we shall begin." He opened his mouth to speak again, but froze when Thomas pulled out his phone and started playing background music off of it. Mr. Washington laughed and began.

"The issue on the table: Secretary Hamilton's plan to assume states' debt and establish a national bank. Secretary Jefferson, you have the floor, Sir."

Jefferson nodded. "Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; we fought for these ideals, we shouldn't settle for less. These are wise words; enterprising men quote 'em. Don't act surprised you guys, 'cause I wrote 'em."

Alexander rolled his eyes as Madison joined in with "Ow!", then Thomas continued, "But Hamilton forgets. His plan would have the government 'assume states' debts. Now, place your bets as to who that benefits: The very seat of government where Hamilton sits."

"Not true!" Hamilton shouted. Thomas froze and appeared to be thinking for a split second before he went on.

"Oh, if the shoe fits, wear it. If New York's in debt, why should Virginia bear it? Uh, our debts are paid, I'm afraid. Don't tax the south 'cause we got it made in the shade." Jefferson and Madison actually put on sunglasses during the last line. "In Virginia, we plant seeds in the ground; we create. You just want to move out money around. This financial plan is an outrageous demand and it's too many damn pages for any man to understand." Thomas had walked over to Alexander, took hold of his notes, and threw them on the ground. "Stand with me in the land of the free and pray to God we never see Hamilton's candidacy. Look, when Britain taxed our tea, we got frisky. Imagine what's gon' happen when you try to tax our whiskey."

The other students in the class laughed and hollered, and Jefferson and Madison fist-bumped. Hamilton sneered at them and placed his papers back on the table.

"Thank you, Secretary Jefferson," Mr. Washington grinned. "Secretary Hamilton, your response."

Alexander smirked maniacally. "Thomas, that was a real nice declaration," Alex gave Jefferson a very sarcastic thumbs-up. "Welcome to the present, we're running a real nation. Would you like to join us or stay mellow doing whatever the hell it is you do in Monticello? If we assume the debts, the Union gets a new line of credit, a financial diuretic. How do you not get it? If we're aggressive and competitive, the Union gets a boost, you'd rather give it a sedative?" This was the point were Alex usually started to use his notes, but now he just used whatever he remembered combined with free styling and his own emotions. "A civics lesson from a slaver. Hey neighbor! Your debts are paid because you don't pay for labor. 'We plant seeds in the south; we create!' Then keep ranting. We know who's really doing the planting." Alexander had completely gotten in Thomas' face at this point. Both boys glared at each other. Alex decided to start completely free style now, just to piss Jefferson off more. "And another thing, Mr. 'Age of Enlightenment': Don't lecture me about the war, you didn't fight in it! You think I'm frightened of you, man? We almost died in the trench while you were off getting high with the French! Thomas Jefferson, always hesitant with the President. Reticent-there isn't a plan he doesn't jettison." James started to cough and Thomas glanced between him and his opponent. "Madison, you mad as a hatter so take your medicine. Damn, you in worse shape than the national debt is in!" Jefferson looked more offended than Madison did. Alexander thought that now was the time to deliver the final, unplanned blow. "Sitting there useless as two shits. Hey! Turn around, bend over, I'll show you where my shoe fits!"

The room went wild.


	27. Chapter 27

"You really said that?" Peggy gaped when Alexander recounted the events of the debate.

"Yup," Alex boasted. "And it was completely unplanned. It just came to mind so I said it."

"And you won, right?" John asked.

"I only got 87 percent of the votes," Alexander moved his arms so his hands rested behind his head, effectively hitting John in the face. Everyone laughed when John crossed his eyes and stuck out his tongue as Alexander frantically apologized. Everyone but Maria.

Peggy noticed Maria's silence and tapped her arm. "Are you okay?" Peggy asked quietly while the others were immersed in another conversation.

"I-honestly no," Maria sighed. "Thomas is getting really adamant about getting dirt on Alex and he wants me to do all this horrible stuff to get information. I keep telling him I will, but then I go behind his back and tell you guys all his plans."

"Well, what are his plans this time?" Maria snickered at the question.

"Hey Alex," Maria called out, getting the attention of everyone at the table. "How would you feel if I tried to seduce you?" Everyone looked absolutely shocked. Then, realization covered Alexander's face.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," Alexander said in a mix of a sigh of discomfort and a laugh of disbelief. "Did he really tell you to do that?" Maria nodded and jokingly winked.

"The reasons that won't work happen to be three things he doesn't know." Maria counted off on her fingers. "One: I am _actually_ friends with you. Two: You and John are not breaking up anytime soon." John and Alex blushed wildly. "And three: I don't want to seduce anyone except for the person I'm planning on asking out...eventually..." She pursed her lips and looked around suspiciously.

"Aw," Eliza crooned. "Maria has a crush!"

"Who is your amour?" Lafayette pressed.

"Don't call her-them!-that." Maria grumbled, her face turning red. "We aren't even together so what's the point in calling them that."

Lafayette giggled and John said, "Alright. We would bother you about _her_ anymore."

"Shut up!"

"That son of a- _ow_!" Thomas shouted. After the debate, he and James had gone back to their dorm, and Thomas decided that a good way to show his anger was to kick the leg of a table.

"Thomas," James said softly after a cough. "Calm down. It was just a debate."

"But he wasn't even sticking to the subject anymore," Thomas complained. "He just started making fun of you-us-and-"

"So you do care," James said with fake surprise. Thomas felt his face heat up slightly and he looked at the floor.

"You're my only friend, man," Thomas whispered. "'Course I care."

James laughed and walked towards his room. "Okay, Thomas." He disappeared into his room and closed the door behind him.

A moment later, the door opened again and James' head popped out. He cleared his throat and said matter-of-factly, "You do know that Okieriete Onaodowan actually was sick all the time, right?"

"Don't sass me, Maddie."

 **So...I don't know how or if I will include what Maria's blackmail is. It's something that really bad that happened to her when she was younger that wasn't her fault and she should really stop blaming herself. Hence why even Thomas thinks it's stupid as blackmail.**

 **Also...JeffMads, anyone?**


	28. Chapter 28

**I know close to nothing about this sport so don't judge me or tell me something is wrong because I know that I don't know.**

"You play football?" Lafayette asked.

"Hell yeah, I play football!" Hercules shouted. The group of friends had met in the park for Herc's announcement: He had gotten on the college's football team, the Yankees. **Wow. I'm creative.**

"That's great, man," Alexander yawned, closing his eyes and resting his head on John's shoulder. When Peggy cried "Aww!" at them, Alex, his eyes still shut, mumbled, "I will snap your neck and drink your soul."

"What is he all weird for?" Angelica wondered.

John sighed before answering, "He thought it would be a good idea to watch the half of a season of Supernatural _and_ finish an unnecessarily long essay in one night. He slept for an hour and a half."

"And the coffee betrayed me!" Alex nuzzled into John, receiving a pat on the head.

"You guys are adorable," Eliza cooed.

"Oh, come on," Herc whined. "I know I'm just grabbing at attention here but at least be somewhat excited for me."

" _I_ am excited for you, mon amie," Lafayette smiled.

"Thank you, good sir." Hercules said in a bad accent, bowing as if Laf was royalty.

"C'était tellement stupide que c'était mignon, vous êtes un grand ours en peluche." Lafayette giggled.

"I will actually vomit if you say something like that again," Alexander groaned. Lafayette blushed and looked away. "Oh mon Dieu. Dites-lui simplement que vous l'aimez." Alex mumbled before he started to walk away. Laf just blushed harder.

The next day was October 28th. When Alexander woke up, it seemed like a usual Saturday, but he was soon proven otherwise.

John didn't wake up when Alex got out of bed to get ready and, of course, check his phone. For once Alexander was happy he accidentally left his phone on silent because in the past hour it had blown up with texts from a group chat titled "Operation Tortuga". Alexander was too tired to read all of them, so he just asked for the brief version instead.

 **ImmigrantBastard** : What is going on?

 **BossB*tch** : Look who finally decided to wake up

 **ImmigrantBastard** : Who are you?

 **BossB*tch** : take a wild frickin guess

 **PEGPEG** : ITS MARIA! I thought we should try to fully include her in our little circle of friends and this was the best time!

 **ImmigrantBastard** : Alright. But the question still stands: What is going on? And why isn't John in here?

 **BAGUETTE** : those are two questions I believe

 **MFDemiGOD** : we're planning a thing

 **ImmigrantBastard** : What thing?

 **BossB*tch** : a gift thing

 **CinnamonRolls** : And we can't really let John see the planning of his gift, right?

 **ImmigrantBastard** : Why are we planning to give him a gift?

 **BestSis** : do...do you not know?

 **PEGPEG** : ITS HIS BIRTHDAY! AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!

 **ImmigrantBastard** : WHAT?!

 **BossB*tch** : Dude. You're his boyfriend. Why don't you know this? Even I know this.

 **ImmigrantBastard** : I'M SORRY I DIDN'T THINK TO ASK.

 **MFDemiGOD** : so are you going to help plan or not?

 **ImmigrantBastard** : OF COURSE I AM.

 **CinnamonRolls** : Is John there? Because he can't know about this

 **ImmigrantBastard** : He's asleep but I wouldn't let him know anyway.

 **BestSis** : cool because we really need you for this. we're meeting in the French/Greek dorm room in T-minus 5 minutes

 **ImmigrantBastard** : I'm on my way.

 **PEGPEG** : HURRY

 **Hey I'm back again for a little while. My ideas are either too vague for me to write or just total crap right now. Ugh.**

 **Anyway here are your French translations in order of appearance because they were really long this time.**

 **1\. That was so stupid that it was cute, you big teddy bear.**

 **2\. Oh my God. Just tell him you like him.**

 **And Tortuga is Spanish for turtle.**


	29. Chapter 29

"Oh. Yeah, that'll be difficult to get past him." Alexander concluded after seeing the present his friends had gotten for John. They all simply nodded in agreement.

"That's where you come in," Angelica told him. "We'll need time to set everything up in your dorm and he can't really be there for that."

"So I'm a distraction?" Alexander asked with feigned offense.

"You're the only one of us that John can be distracted _by_." Maria said.

As if on cue, Alexander's phone pinged. When he looked at it, it read:

 **OhJohnnyBoy** : WHERE ARE YOU IM PANICKING

"Maria," Alex sighed. "You might be right about that. Okay, I can probably get you guys a couple hours. Just tell me if you need more time." He left Laf's and Herc's dorm and headed to his own.

Alexander had barely opened the door before he was pulled into a tight hug.

"Hi John." Alex's voice was muffled by his boyfriend's shoulder. John pulled away and took a deep, shaky breath, studying Alexander's face intently.

"Where were you?" John questioned. "At first I thought you had gone to class but then I realized it was Saturday, and you didn't tell me you were leaving or text me back, and I thought you were dead." Alex gently kissed John to quiet him.

"I was just giving something to Herc," Alexander lied casually. Before John could say anything else, he continued, "Hey, let's go out."

"Where?"

"Anywhere."

"...Okay."

John and Alexander went to the cafe to get coffees, then just walked around town. They held hands and talked and ignored the rest of the world.

At one point, someone yelled at them for being together, and John got scared. But then Alexander pulled him into a kiss and flipped the guy off, and they went on laughing and loving and John wasn't scared anymore.

 _Because that's behind me and I won't let it come back._

After about an hour and 45 minutes, Alex suddenly looked at his phone and mumbled what sounded like: "That was fast."

"What?"

"Nothing!" Alex said hurriedly. "Let's go back to the dorm." John was pulled down the street and into their dorm building at a somewhat alarming speed, with no answers to accompany his many questions.

They stopped abruptly in front of their door, and when John tried to open the door, Alex grabbed his arm and knocked on the door instead.

"Why did you-"

Alexander cut him off with a quick kiss and said, "I'm sorry I didn't know."

"Wha-" Alexander whipped open the door open and shoved John inside.

John had to close his eyes for a moment when the lights were turned on after half a second of pure darkness. As soon as he looked up again, several people popped up from behind different pieces of furniture and shouted "Surprise", effectively making him deaf for a second.

It turned out that these people were his friends, and that each of them were holding a nicely wrapped present, colorful balloon, or, in Eliza's case, a beautiful cake.

"Happy birthday, John!" They all yelled (besides Lafayette, who said "Bon anniversaire!"). John couldn't do anything but look on in surprise at the gathering of people in the decorated room.

 _Oh my God..._

Alexander took John's momentary silence as a chance to sneak up behind him.

"The best present is in the bedroom," Alex whispered in a sing-song voice. John immediately lost his train of thought and blushed like crazy. "Don't be a perv. Come on." John and the rest of the group followed Alexander into John's room and stood tensely as the door swung slowly open.

John screamed and flailed, then sprinted to the glass tank against the wall. " _You got me a turtle_?" He shrieked, gaping at the animal inside the tank.

"They're your favorite thing, right?" Hercules asked. John nodded so fast he could have gotten whiplash.

"What's her name?" Peggy inquired.

"Terrapene Carolina," John answered, then realized what she had meant. "Oh, I mean, Eleanor."

"That was prepared and random." Maria laughed.

"I, um, I promised my mom I would name my first pet after her...before..." John let himself trail off as he wiped his eyes. Alexander stepped towards him with a concerned face. "Sorry, I just...the last time I was able to actually celebrate my birthday was when I was in seventh grade."

"I feel like either we don't want to know," Angelica said. "Or you don't want to tell us about what happened after that."

 _Keep it behind you._

"Yes." John answered curtly. "Anyway...I want cake."

 **John's past will be explained.**

 **Also I'm sorry if I pissed people off by having a random homophobe in there but I was trying to take out my anger on people like that in a halfway civil way, so...yeah...that was spurred on because my best friend's mom is like that but I'm Pan and her son can't really tell her that he's gay so I got frustrated.**

 **Sorry. My life is annoying to hear about, I know.**


	30. Chapter 30

Football practice wasn't terrible. Sure, it was exhausting, but it was nothing Hercules couldn't handle. Of course, he'd only had three practices so far. And there was always that one person on the team who could drive everyone insane. On this particular team, that person's name happened to be:

"Charles Lee," Coach Washington called (Hercules was ecstatic that Mr. Washington was his coach after how highly Alex had described him). "Practice passing with Mulligan."

Herc glanced at the other boy, who sneered and rolled his eyes in return.

 _Oh boy..._

The team moved around the field to the places where they were assigned to practice.

"You new here, huh?" Charles wondered, throwing a football at Herc.

"Yeah, you?" Hercules caught the ball and threw it back. **Just assume they keep passing it.**

"Second year at the school and it's gonna be my second year as quarterback, too." Hercules suppressed the instinct to say that he played the same position. "Your name is Mulligan, right? You're in my calculus class I think. Always talking to that European kid." The tone of Lee's voice became distasteful.

"He's French," Herc corrected, assuming that would be the end of it.

He was wrong.

Lee froze for a moment before throwing the ball again and asking, "What, are you his boyfriend or something?"

Herc barely caught the football before it hit the ground.

"N-no."

They didn't speak to each other for the rest of practice.

Throughout his life, Alexander had only heard a few people cry. Surprising as this was, Alex's only reaction to the wailing he heard after class was to follow it to the side of the building.

A girl sat on the ground there, her head in her arms. A plume of brown curls rested over her, swaying in the breeze and bouncing with her sobs.

"Hey," The girl's head shot up at Alexander's voice. Her cheeks were stained with tears regardless of how much she tried to wipe them away with the sleeves of her pink and white sweatshirt. "Are you okay?" Alexander asked, despite already knowing the answer. The girl shook her head slowly as Alex kneeled in front of her. "What's your name?"

"Ariana," the girl mumbled. "Ariana DeBose."

"Well, hello, Ariana. I'm Alexander Hamilton." He almost tried to shake her hand, but realized how that could be deemed inappropriate. "So...what's wrong?"

"People suck." Alexander just nodded as the wind picked up, growing colder as autumn began. Ariana shivered and it was then that Alex saw that her sweatshirt was actually just white.

"Wait, what happened?" Alex questioned, suddenly very attentive, as he gestured to Ariana's clothes. She shrugged and lowered her head.

"Some girls threw their drinks at me."

"Who?" Another shrug. Alexander sighed internally and started to take off his jacket. "Here, take off your sweatshirt. You can have this." He held out the jacket to Ariana, who just stared at him. When she didn't take the coat, Alex held it closer and instead once more, "Take it. You'll get a cold."

After a moment of silence, Ariana reluctantly slipped off her sweatshirt and took Alexander's coat. When she reached out, Alexander saw that the tan skin of her arm was marred with the lighter tones of-what Alexander decided to call them, for lack of a better term-"battle scars".

" _Shit_..." Alex whispered. "Okay, okay. You aren't okay. Why...what's actually wrong?" Ariana squeezed her eyes shut, tears rolling down her face.

"No one cares about me," Ariana whimpered.

"Hey, no-"

"I'm always just in the background; everyone either ignores or bullies me; I don't even know why I'm telling you this because you'll probably just make fun of me for it."

"I don't know, either," Alex said. "A lot of people have been doing that lately. But I guarantee that people care about you. I mean, I just met you and I care about you-"

"You _pity_ me."

"No, I don't. There's a bunch of reasons you're on this Earth, and The main one is to live through all of them. Trust me, I've lived in and around an above average amount of depression and I get what you're going through. You'll get better. People will notice you. And when they do, they'll notice you because you are awesome. So, please, just try to get through this, because _you will get through this._ "

They were silent for a minute, then Ariana enveloped Alex in a hug.

"Thanks," she whispered. "For the jacket and...just thanks." Alex nodded and helped Ariana to her feet.

"We should hang out sometime," Alex suggested. The girl simply gave a small smile nodded in return, quickly turning away.

Alexander never saw her at school after that.

 **Hey, so...I feel like I should say something but I think Alex said it quite well.**

 **Ariana's 'character' in the show doesn't really have a name so I'm just using her real one. And don't worry; canonically, she isn't dead.**


	31. Chapter 31

Theodosia Prevost was a quiet, reserved girl. She wasn't necessarily shy, but as long as she acted like she was, people would usually leave her alone. This ability to easily stay out of sight made her a perfect fit for Aaron Burr, who could do the same. They stayed in the back of most classes, taking notes and whispering to each other when they had the chance. They discretely listened to other people's gossip, surprising people when they knew who was dating who. Even their smiles were quiet and faint. But they really were happy around each other.

Even when Aaron started talking to Thomas Jefferson.

"He's a butt, that's what's wrong with him," Theodosia said gently, mainly because her and Aaron were in the library. "How and why did you start talking to him, again?"

"Because he said he 'admired my ability to stay unseen', Theo." Aaron told his girlfriend, who rolled her eyes in response.

"Your ego is almost as big as Thomas', I swear. Or that one kid you talk about; what's his name?"

"Hamilton. Alexander Hamilton." Aaron sat back in his chair and crossed his arms. "He's actually the reason Thomas was talking to me." Theo raised an eyebrow. "Jefferson asked for my help."

"With what, exactly?" Theodosia wondered, flipping a page in her book.

"Jefferson and Hamilton argue about everything in law and neither-"

"Pre-law," Theo corrected absentmindedly. Aaron nodded and continued.

"Neither are getting themselves anywhere with their fighting, and they both seem to be getting exasperated because of it. So, because I sit next to Hamilton (or rather, he sits next to me), Jefferson thinks I can give him information."

"About...?"

"Hamilton. Or, rather, how to prove that he's better than Hamilton."

"I highly doubt that he is." Theodosia mumbled.

"Have you told him that?"

"Of course not."

"Exactly," Aaron said, as if that was his point all along. "No one who knows Jefferson has ever stood up to him, at least not consistently. No one but Hamilton."

"So...you're his last resort."

Aaron stuttered, "N-no-well...no. No." Theo gave him a suspicious look.

"Okay...so you want to help the worst person in this equation...why?"

"I'm not really helping him." Theodosia looked more confused than ever. "I won't actually tell him anything. Then, Thomas won't have any information. And I know he doesn't have anywhere else to go because people only come to me as a last resort." Aaron's proud face faltered when Theodosia let out a single "Ha."

"First of all," Theo said, "You just proved me right: you are a last resort. Thank you. Second of all, what is Jefferson going to do to you when he finds out you aren't helping him?" They sat in silence for a moment before Theo closed her book. "Right." She stood and gathered her things, her boyfriend following suit. "You can plan your escape, and I'll plan your funeral."

"Fine," She sighed. "I'll tell you whatever you want later. But I can assure you that it will _not_ end well."

"You think I don't know that?" Thomas waved Her out. "Go. If you get this right-which I know you can do- _then_ I'll hold up my part of the bargain."

"You better." She glared at him as she stepped through the doorway. She stopped and turned back around to face him. "And if you so much as _try_ to get out of this, I'm coming for you." She shut the door behind her and breathed deeply as she walked down the hall, trying her best to suppress her fear of the days to come.

 **Here's a hint: She probably isn't who you think she is. Also, thought it was time to include Theodosia and Aaron a bit more.**

 **I've been gone for so long because: World History test (ugh)**

 **of ideas, per the usual**

 **And I have finals next week and then vacation a week after that for two weeks. Just thought I would let you know why I'll be gone ahead of time.**


	32. Chapter 32

Round 1-Fight!

At the end of class on Thursday, Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton got in a fight. Ask anyone how it started and they would all tell you that Thomas was just messing with Alex while he was working again. Ask them who won, though, and you might get different answers: Either Tomas won because of what he said, or Alexander won because of what he did. But after the story you hear, you have to make your own opinion.

The first indication that something was wrong was Aaron suddenly moving to a different seat. Second was a shadow looming over Alexander's desk.

"Hello, Hamilton," Jefferson drawled. Alex glanced up with a sneer on his face, but ignored the greeting and tried to get back to work. "Don't you know how rude it is to not return a 'hello'?" Alexander reluctantly made eye contact.

"Hello. Now go away," Alexander said. He returned his gaze to his papers, only to watch them slide off the side of the desk. Alex groaned and picked up his things, then saw that their place on the desk was taken by Jefferson. "What do you want?"

"I just wanted to talk to you. Is that so bad?"

"Yes. Now, _go away_." Thomas just rolled his eyes.

"Listen, Hamilton, I get that you went through some bad stuff when you were younger, but that doesn't mean you have to take all your anger out on me. I'm just trying to be your friend." Jefferson leaned back with a smug grin on his face. His eyes shone what Alexander could only describe as pure evil.

"First of all, you have never tried to be my friend. Second of all, you don't know anything about my past." Alexander clenched his jaw, feeling anger quickly build up inside him.

"Hmm..." Jefferson pretended to think for a moment. "I actually know quite a bit."

"Like what?" Alexander smirked, prepared to see his rival stammer or try to make something up.

That never happened.

Without skipping a beat, Thomas said, "To start, you were a mistake. Your parents didn't want you, but your mother was too much of a whore, apparently. Then your father left because he hated you-"

"What did you say about my mom?" Alex seethed, the room having gone silent to listen in.

"Oh, sorry, was I not clear enough for you?" Jefferson's voice grew louder. "I said that your whore mother was such a bitch that your dad had no option but to leave you to hopefully die."

Alexander saw red.

He didn't even realize what he was doing until he had been beating Thomas into the ground for ten seconds. When he did realize it, he just punched harder. And people were yelling and he was getting pulled away and out of the room and he didn't care because that bastard got what he deserved.

Mr. Washington was the one to drag Alex into the hallway, not even struggling to hold down his flailing arms.

"What was that for, son?" Washington asked, letting Alex go but blocking the door from him.

"Don't call me 'son'." Alex mumbled.

"Answer the question, Alexander."

"He called my mother a whore."

"Well, I'm sorry son, but-"

"I'm not your son." Alex said firmly. Washington ignored the comment.

"You can't just fight another student. At the very least, not in class."

"He disrespected my entire family."

"I understand that, Alexander."

"With all due respect, sir, I don't think that you do. It's my family, not yours."

"I know that, but I also know what it's like to not get respect."

"But it's _my_ family. _My_ mom. You don't know what my family was like. You don't know what _she_ was like. You don't know my life, and I don't know how Thomas does in the first place."

"That doesn't matter."

"Yes, it does."

"Whatever the reason, you still shouldn't just fight someone."

"He deserved it."

"That is not a reason to fight somebody, son. You-"

" _Call me son one more time!_ " Alexander instinctively rose his fist, then froze before moving any further. Mr. Washington just blinked and kept a stoic look on his face.

"Go home, Alexander." His voice was calm and stern and it scared Alexander so much that he just nodded and lowered his arm. Neither spoke as he walked away, even though Alex wanted to say that his home was long gone.


	33. Chapter 33

**drunkturtle:** guys...Alex is pissed. He wants everyone to come over ASAP

Maria gulped when she read the text in calculus, knowing it had something to do with Jefferson. As soon as she was let out of class, she sprinted down the hall and outside, leaving Peggy behind. She had to get to Alex fast; Maria needed as much time as possible to convince him that she didn't do anything wrong. He would blame everything on her, she knew. After all, she was a direct link to Thomas.

When Maria got to John and Alex's dorm, she was too scared to knock on the door. She heard Hercules and Lafayette inside, which somehow made her more terrified. So, she stood outside the room until Peggy arrived a minute later.

"How come you haven't gone inside yet?" Peggy asked.

"I'm scared that he'll get mad at me." Maria answered.

"Yeah, me too." Peggy went quiet as Angelica and Eliza appeared at the end of the hall. Angelica walked past them without speaking and opened the door, somehow knowing it was unlocked. The girls stepped inside and were instantly barraged with voices all talking at once.

Then they all went quiet.

"Hello, Sisters," Alexander said, "and Maria." The latter nodded a greeting.

"What happened?" Angelica asked, exasperated.

"Jefferson called my mom a whore, for starters." Alex crossed his arms. "And mentioned my father's absence. Anyone care to tell me how he knows about my life?" He rose his eyebrows at Maria.

"You can't believe that I told him all that." Maria gaped.

"You are being blackmailed by him, like, 24/7." John mentioned.

"Yeah, but I would never tell Jefferson something that personal. I'm your friend. You know I wouldn't do something like that, right?" Maria frantically looked around the room at the people she had come to like. The boys stared at her in a mix of anger and hopefulness. Angelica and Eliza looked at the floor. Peggy stared straight ahead. Maria was defeated. " _Please_ ," she said in a final cry. "Just-let me prove I didn't do this."

"And how exactly are you going to do that?" Alex inquired.

"I can-"

"It was me." Everyone turned towards Peggy at the surprising words she had said. "I told Jefferson everything."

Angelica and Maria both muttered a soft "What?"

"Why would you do that?" Alex almost shouted.

"I was trying to help Maria," Peggy explained. "I was trying to keep this," she gestured around the room, "from happening to her because of Jefferson. I made a deal with him: Information for Maria's freedom. Then we would be able to trust her without Jefferson listening in." Peggy sighed deeply. "But apparently I'm the only one who thinks she can be trusted. Apparently I'm the only one of us who sees Maria as a friend."

Alexander opened his mouth to speak, closed it again, lowered his head, then turned around and walked to his room, slamming the door behind him. John groaned and massaged his forehead.

"I'm sorry." Peggy whispered. Maria responded by intertwining her hand with Peggy's and squeezing it tight.


	34. Chapter 34

**Round 2-Fight!**

 **(What is said may be a bit more intense than before in a way...)**

Alexander wouldn't talk to Peggy or Maria for days, no matter how much they tried to interact with him. Eventually, the girls let him be. Most of the others still pushed him to make amends, but Alex refused every time.

Meanwhile, Lafayette had to deal with Hercules, and all the emotions that came with him.

Of course Lafayette had seen Herc's panic when he met Peggy for the first time. And Hercules had to have noticed that after every time he did or said something cute or silly or inappropriate, Laf would say something in French that usually made Alexander gag, then get scared when Hercules asked about it. Yet, Lafayette never spoke to Hercules about what he noticed, no matter how much he wanted to.

But it just kept getting worse.

Every day that Hercules had football practice, he would get back to the dorm late, tired and sweaty, getting more and more frustrated every night.

And to Lafayette, Hercules looked _much_ better when he was frustrated.

One night, the front door closed so loud that it woke Lafayette just as he fell asleep. He groggily got out of bed and walked out to the kitchen, where Hercules sat, bouncing his leg and drinking out of a water bottle. His face read 'anger' from every direction.

"Welcome back, Hercules," Laf yawned. The other boy nodded but didn't look up. "How was practice?" Hercules groaned and rolled his eyes as Lafayette sat down next to him. "Not that great, I see." Herc shook his head and took another drink of water. "Was Lee the problem again?" A nod. "Will you tell me what he is doing this time?" A pause.

"He's just...annoying." Hercules said, his voice gravely from running and shouting so much. Laf did everything in his power to keep from blushing. "And he's mad at me because he was switched to a different position when I was picked as the main quarterback."

"Is that all?"

"Y-yeah." Herc's leg began to bounce faster. Lafayette watched it jump up and down for a moment, then slowly moved his hand into Herc's knee. The bouncing stopped immediately, and Hercules finally made eye contact with the other boy.

"You need to calm down, Hercules," Lafayette said softly. "Lee is just jealous; it will stop soon. Just ignore him if he bothers you again."

There was a brief moment of silence before Laf moved his hand away from Hercules. The football player stood and muttered, "I'm going to bed." Then, he went to his room and locked himself inside, leaving Lafayette in the kitchen by himself.

After just another week and a few more practices, the first football game of the year had arrived. Nearly everyone in the school came to watch, including Lafayette and the rest of Hercules' friends. Alexander had even started talking to Peggy and Maria again, though only in small conversations. Still, it was nice to see them getting along more.

The game went well for the most part, with the Yankees winning dramatically at the end. But what happened during half-time was the most important.

Most of the players had gone back into the locker room to cool down, specifically Hercules Mulligan and Charles Lee.

"How d'you like being in my position, Mulligan?" Lee asked quietly after sneaking up behind Hercules.

"I like it just fine," Herc said. "How-"

"I saw all your friends in the stands," Lee ignored him. "How many of 'em are like you?"

Hercules raised his eyebrows and turned his back to Lee, mumbling, "Like me how?"

"You know what I mean, _dumbass_." Herc clenched his jaw, not wanting to have the conversation that he was already stuck in. "So...which one of 'em are you banging?"

"Excuse me?" Hercules spun around and glared at his teammate, who just continued talking.

"It's not the short one or the southern; they're sluts for each other, I can tell."

"Shut the hell up, Lee." Herc warned through gritted teeth.

"So that leaves us with the stupid European-oh _sorry_ - _French faggot_ -"

Hercules launched himself at Lee, connecting a fist to his face with a resounding _crack_. Lee fell to the ground in a ball, holding his bleeding nose.

"I said _'shut up'_." Hercules seethed. One of the other people in the room ran to get the coach, while others pushed Hercules away from Lee or helped up the boy on the floor.

Lee sneered at Hercules and yelled, "You broke my nose! You're gonna get it now you-"

"I'll break more than that if you keep testing me like that," Hercules retorted, trying to pull himself away from the people holding him back. When Washington arrived, Herc and Lee were just glaring at each other.

"Mulligan and Lee," the coach called, "both of you are sitting out of the game for the time being." Lee looked up at him in disbelief, still holding his nose, while Hercules kept thinking of ways to get revenge. "Mulligan, come with me." Hercules gave Lee one last vicious look, then turned to follow Washington out of the locker room.

 **Hey so I accidentally reuploaded a different chapter instead of this...whoops.**


	35. Chapter 35

When they met up with Hercules after the game, John and Alex had to physically stop him from pacing so he would focus and talk to them.

"You didn't play at all for the rest of the game," John said. "What happened?"

"I accidentally broke Lee's nose." Hercules answered.

"What do you mean 'accidentally'?" Angelica asked suspiciously.

"I mean, I wasn't _trying_ to break his nose when I punched him."

"Wait, you punched him?" Lafayette questioned. Herc just nodded.

"Is he alright?" Eliza asked.

"Who cares?" Hercules spoke absentmindedly, seeming lost in thought.

"What did he do?"-Maria this time.

"He-ugh-he's always made fun of me because I'm bi, which is already annoying," Hercules said, his face going red.

"Why didn't you tell me when I asked what was wrong?" Laf wondered, clearly offended. "Why didn't you tell any of us?"

"Because I don't care if he's making fun of me."

"Okay," Alex sighed and crossed his arms. "Why did it bother you today?"

"Because he was talking about you guys." Herc's voice softened. "He asked how many of you are 'like me'. Then he called John and Alex sluts-"

"What?" Alex yelled. "No wonder you punched him."

"That's not why I punched him, exactly. It just made me mad." Herc's friends gave him confused stares. He looked at the ground, speaking quietly. "He said that Laf was a 'stupid French faggot'." A few of his friends gasped or loudly expressed their hatred for Lee.

Hercules slowly looked up at Lafayette. The French boy was flustered; his face was red and his eyes were welling up with tears.

"You okay Laf?" Hercules asked.

"Oui-yes," Lafayette nodded and wiped his eyes. "Just...I'm ready to go."

Later, Lafayette was just about ready to scream. He stood outside of Hercules' room, nervous and crushing really hard on his best friend. It didn't help that through the partially open door, he could see Hercules changing if he walked by. To put it simply, Lafayette quickly realized why Hercules could break someone's nose with one hit. So, yeah, Lafayette was ready to scream.

Nevertheless, he took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

"Come in," Hercules called from inside. Lafayette opened the door but didn't move any further.

"Um...I-I just wanted to...um..." Laf kept pushing his hair behind his ear in a nervous tick as he stuttered through his words.

"Is something wrong, Laf?" Hercules asked. Lafayette felt his face heat up.

"N-no, I just..." He sighed. "I wanted to thank you for standing up for me earlier."

"Oh," Herc blinked a few times. "Yeah, no problem."

They stood there for a moment in awkward silence before Lafayette turned and said, "Well, good night Hercules."

"Night Laf." Lafayette froze, his brain urging him to do something else.

"Gil," He said, turning back to face Hercules.

"What?"

"Please, call me Gil," The Frenchman smiled and got a small grin in response.

"Okay, then," Hercules laughed ever so slightly. "Good night...Gil."

 **Hey! Look down here! I need your help!**

 **I need something that the group as a whole can be called in the writing instead of having to call them "LGBTQTEES" or "Alex's friends" or something when referring to them. If you have any ideas I would love to hear them! Thank you! I love you all!**


	36. Chapter 36

**Whatever you think is going to happen is not going to happen.**

"Oh my gosh." John and Alex were both sitting on the couch in their dorm; Alex was writing on his laptop and John was slowly but surely falling asleep on his shoulder. When Alexander suddenly got a text at 10:30 at night and said, "Oh my gosh", John groaned inwardly and looked up.

"What happened?" John yawned and lifted his head off of his boyfriend, who started laughing.

"Hercules wants to know how to ask someone out-"

"Aw, Herc has a crush. Who is it?" John grinned tiredly.

"You didn't let me finish," Alexander giggled. "He wants to know how to ask someone out _in French_." John shot up, suddenly very awake.

" _WHAT?_ " John tumbled off the couch as Alex burst out laughing. "Wait, really?" Alexander nodded while John started pacing excitedly. "Well, tell him! Oh my God, this is awesome. Please tell me you know how to ask someone out in French because this _needs_ to happen."

"Okay, okay." Alexander slowed his laughs and began texting Hercules. "Luckily, I do know how to ask someone out in French." John sat back down with a smile, then squinted and pursed his lips.

"Wait, why do you know that?" John asked suspiciously. Alex raised an eyebrow.

"You aren't the first person I've dated, you know," Alex smirked, turning back to his laptop. "Why?" He gasped in fake shock. "Are you _jealous_?"

"No," John pouted and started to blush. "But...French is like, 'the language of love' or something, right? How come I don't get any of that?"

"So you _are_ jealous."

"Maybe just a little bit."

Alexander took hold of John's hand and kissed his knuckles. "You don't need to be jealous, John." Alex snickered and put his laptop on the floor, focusing on John instead. "But fine. What do you want me to say?"

John thought for a moment. "You are handsome..."

"Vous êtes beau," Alexander said in a low, quiet voice.

"And smart..." John mimicked Alex's tone.

"Intelligents..."

"Funny..." John gently pushed Alex so he was laying down and moved on top of him.

"Drôle..."

"Brave and strong..." John slowly lowered his head toward Alex's.

"Courageux et fort..."

"Perfect..." Alexander's eyes fluttered closed.

"Parfait..." Alex let out a soft sigh as John connected their lips in a deep and passionate kiss. John moved to push up Alexander's shirt-

 _Ding_

John groaned and laughed at the same time as he crawled off of Alexander, who rolled his eyes and reached for his phone.

"Holy shit."

"What? Did Laf say no?" John asked as he stood up and walked behind the couch.

"No. He said _yes_." John's eyes widened.

"Oh my _God_ ," John gasped struggling not to scream.

"I know, I know."

"But who the heck asks someone out at 10:40 at night? And who accepts being asked out at 10:40 at night?"

"Hercules and Lafayette, apparently." The boys laughed for a moment."

"Well, I'm going to bed-"

"Good night, John" Alex said, picking up his laptop again. "And, je t'aime."

"What does that mean?" John wondered with a small smile.

"I love you."

"Oh...well...je t'aime, Alexander." John leaned over the couch and kissed Alex on the cheek, getting a small grin in return. Then he whispered, "But I was going to say that I'm going to bed...if you wanted to come with..." Alexander blinked a few times as his face flushed.

"Oh...y-yeah...okay."

 **So...I may have lied just a bit...*wink wink* But don't worry, that's the worst it will ever get.**


	37. Chapter 37

**You like fluff, right? Cool...**

Hercules didn't exactly remember what happened that night, but he also didn't exactly care. He remembered the important details, though: A lot of hurried shuffling when Herc knocked on Laf- _Gil's_ door (and a lot of not remembering what to call him). Then a lot of stumbling over words in both English and terrible French, and laughter from the both of them. And then a single word, one of the few of the French words he understood: "Oui." And then an explosion in his chest and smiles and laughter and hugs...

And a kiss. A sudden, soft, _amazing_ kiss...

And then his memory cut out.

But whatever happened after that resulted in Hercules and Gil waking up in the same bed, which was certainly surprising.

John woke up that morning and managed to slip out of bed without waking Alex, then took a shower and started making breakfast.

When Alexander got up, he also took a shower, and got dressed in a pair of old sweatpants and one of John's shirts, which was a little too big but very comfortable. He walked into the kitchen and saw John wearing just sweatpants, making a warm smile appear on his face. Alex snuck up on John and hugged him from behind.

"Morning, Alex," John muttered. Alex nuzzled further into John's back and hummed a response. "You know, all that stuff I made you say in French was about you."

"I was saying all that about you, though," Alexander said quietly. John giggled and turned around in Alex's grasp to kiss him. "I love you, John Laurens."

"I love you too, Alexander Hamilton."

Peggy woke up early that day and got dressed in a pastel green, flowing blouse and glitter-covered skinny jeans. This wouldn't usually be note-worthy, but this was the outfit that Peggy wore to every first date she went on. It was good luck, she would say.

Peggy left a note for her family that she had gone out and walked out the door before anyone else even woke up.

If she wasn't wearing her lucky outfit, Peggy's walk to the restaurant would have been horrible. A car driving through a puddle nearly splashed her, but someone stepped in front of her just in time. A few kids were passing a baseball and lost control of it, sending it hurtling directly towards Peggy's face. She casually reached up her hand, caught the ball, and threw it back. When she got to the restaurant, a smug grin had covered her face.

"Peggy, over here!" Peggy headed towards the call until she found Maria at a table in the corner.

"Hey," Peggy said as she sat down across from her date. "Sorry I'm late. I had to walk."

"Oh, no, it's fine," Maria smiled. "Here, I got you a coffee already." She grabbed one of the mugs in front of her and passed it to Peggy.

"Thank you," Peggy grasped onto the mug and raised it to her lips.

Then she dropped it, spilling coffee on the front of her shirt. Peggy shot up and tried her best to keep from shrieking.

"Are you okay?" Maria asked, standing up with wide eyes.

"I'm... _fine_." But Peggy was clenching her fists and squeezing her eyes shut and most certainly not fine. And Maria told her so.

"You know what," Maria took off her sweatshirt and gave it to Peggy. "Go to the bathroom and change out of that." Peggy nodded and walked away.

 _So much for good luck..._

 **I'm so sorry. All this cuteness is great and all, but it's about to be ruined by a lot of bad stuff happening in rapid succession.**


	38. Chapter 38

**Remember when I said a lot of bad stuff would be happening in rapid succession? Yeah. That starts now.**

Thomas Jefferson was sick and tired of everyone being jerks to him, and that was saying something, considering he was the biggest jerk in school, and he knew it. But the fact that people were being mean to _him_...he couldn't stand it. First was Hamilton, who fought against every word that came out of Thomas' mouth, then Burr, who just refused to help him because he was too proud of himself. And Burr thought that he was Thomas' last resort. But Thomas was frustrated and willing to do crazy things to get what he wanted and maintain his reputation as the kid that everyone was scared of.

Crazy things like, for example, getting help from Maria again.

Which wasn't working out in his favor.

"I'm off the hook now, remember?" Thomas had cornered Maria after one of her classes and told her (or, angrily begged her) to give him information on not just Hamilton, but the whole squad now. **The squad is the chosen name.** "And besides, the only people who have dumped their life's story on me are Alex and Laf. You already know Laf's because he's your cousin, and you already know Alex's because Peggy told you in a deal you made with her to keep you away from me."

"I don't care about a stupid, little deal I made with a stupid, little girl," Thomas said.

"You should, because she and I will beat your ass if you keep bothering me." Thomas rolled his eyes.

" _Puh-lease_ , Maria," Thomas smirked. "You couldn't hurt me if you tried. And remember, I might not have information about your 'friends', but I have all the info I need about you." He bent down to her eye level and lowered his voice to a menacing whisper.

But Maria just grinned and said, "I don't care." Thomas was visibly taken aback, and Maria laughed at him. "Go ahead and tell people. I've thought about it and realized it was stupid to think I could be harmed by that."

"Finally," Thomas mumbled.

"What did you say?"

"Just help me, Maria," Thomas groaned. "I'll get you whatever you want. You'll rise up in the school social map." He was clearly begging at this point, but he didn't care. In his mind, all that mattered were his grades, his best friend, and how he looked to other people. And he was not hurting any of them.

Thomas took a step towards Maria and said, "If you don't join me right now, I will ruin you. I can and will get you kicked out of this school."

Maria rolled her eyes and started to walk away. "Once again, I don't care-" It was like a lightbulb turned on in Thomas' head.

" _Peggy Schuyler_ ," Maria froze. "I won't ruin how you seem to the school, I'll ruin how you seem to _her_. It would be a shame if you couldn't keep dating her, wouldn't it?"

Thomas turned his back to Maria as she seethed, "How did you know about that?"

"James is sneaky, I know."

"If you so much as _try_ -"

"Oh don't worry, I won't," Thomas twirled back around with a smug grin on his face. "If you get me what I need." Maria looked down in defeat.

"No."

" _What_?"

" _No_." Thomas was once again flabbergasted. "I don't care what you do, I'm not helping you."

And then Thomas, so overcome with frustration and anger, did something that he instantly regretted with all of his being.

He slapped her across the face.

His eyes widened as he drew his hand back as fast as he could. Maria had yelped in surprise and tried to block the blow, but to no avail. Now, even with eyes full of tears, her face morphed into one of anger; Thomas' turned into one of fear.

"You son of a-"

"I'm sorry."

"Like hell you are." Maria cupped her cheek with one hand and wiped her eyes with the other. "If you really think that violence is going to change my mind, then you are sorely mistaken."

"No I-I'm really sorry," Thomas assured. "I didn't mean to, I swear-"

"Save it. You have never been sorry about anything in your life."

"That's not-"

"Just shut up!" Maria exhaled and started to walk away, but Thomas grabbed her shoulder.

"Maria, I-" He was cut off by a smack on the side of his head.

"Leave me-and all of my friends- _alone_." With that, she stormed off, leaving a very upset Thomas Jefferson alone.


	39. Chapter 39

**The POV switches to Eliza's later btw.**

Peggy and Maria were close, at least, it seemed that way to Peggy. They talked to each other often, both in and out of class, telling each other secrets and stories (but Maria still refused to tell Peggy what her horrible blackmail was). And now, they were even planning to go on another date together. Peggy felt safe around her, and she hoped Maria did too.

So when Maria walked into calculus with a bruise forming on the side of her face, Peggy knew something was wrong.

"It's nothing," Maria had told her. "I just got in an argument with Jefferson."

"Why does 'nothing, just an argument' lead to you getting hurt?" Peggy would have yelled if they weren't in the middle of class.

"He may or may not have slapped me."

Peggy blinked. " _What_?"

"I got him back; it's fine."

"No, it's not fine," Peggy said as she pulled out her phone and texted the group chat.

"What are you doing?" Maria asked, leaning over.

"Telling everyone what happened."

"Please don't-"

"Alex has suggested that we fight him."

"Oh no."

"Everyone is agreeing with him. It's a plan."

"Please don't do this, Peggy," Maria pleaded. "I'm fine, really."

"Are you sure?" Maria nodded assuringly, making a smile appear on Peggy's face.

And this was why Peggy and her friends were now tracking down Thomas Jefferson behind Maria's back.

They found Jefferson and Madison behind one of the college's buildings. Neither were facing the squad, so Peggy threw a rock at Jefferson's head to get his attention.

"Yo, assbutt!" She yelled as the stone connected to Jefferson's skull. He and Madison whipped around and the two groups walked towards each other.

"What was that for?" Thomas asked as he rubbed the back of his head.

"For hitting Maria, duh," Peggy said.

"Oh," Jefferson sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Listen, I honestly didn't mean for that to happen."

"Oh, yeah," Alex said sarcastically. "I'm sure you wouldn't have slapped her if she just did what you told her to do."

"I wasn't trying to hurt her," Thomas told them. "She pissed me off and it just...happened." Madison mumbled something, but Thomas ignored him.

"Things like that don't just _happen_ , Thomas," Lafayette argued.

"Speak for yourself, Joseph." Laf sneered at the name.

"Thomas," James said quietly.

"Not now, Jemmy," Thomas whispered.

"Nice to know that you're rude to your boyfriend, too," Alexander smirked.

Jefferson stuttered for a moment and glared at Alex. " _Excuse me_?"

"It's obvious, Jefferson."

"So, do I need to actually beat you up or are you going to stop bothering Maria?" Peggy cut in, another rock in her hand.

"I don't know, are you idiots going to stop trying to act better than me?" Thomas wondered.

Angelica angrily whispered, " _Idiots_?" Eliza mimicked her with, "When have we ever tried to act better than him?" Then they both glanced at Alexander and nodded in understanding.

"If we're all just going to stand here staring at each other, I think I'm just going to leave." Jefferson turned on his heel and walked away, with Madison following close behind.

"Let's go," Peggy huffed, dropping the rock she was holding. As they left, they heard Madison start having another coughing fit from afar.

...

And then Jefferson screamed, " _James_!"

Eliza was the first to look back, and when she did, she gasped and took off into a sprint towards her enemies. When she got to them, she nearly stepped on a handkerchief that was covered in blood.

"What's wrong with him?" Eliza asked Thomas, who's eyes were wild with panic, as he held up James.

"I don't know," Thomas answered. "He's always had a cough and it's been getting worse, but this has never happened before."

"Okay, keep him up," Eliza said as her friends ran up next to her. "Angelica, call an ambulance. _Now_." Her sister nodded and pulled out her phone. "Herc, I need you to run faster than you do in football and get some water." The boy nodded and ran off. "Alex, give me your scarf."

"What? Why?" Alexander whined.

" _Just give me your goddamn scarf_!" Eliza shouted. Alex nodded in fear and handed over the cloth.

"Ambulance will be here in five," Angelica called out.

"Wonderful." As Eliza said this, Hercules came back from around the side of the building, holding a water bottle. He was still too far away in Eliza's eyes, so she yelled, "Just throw it, Herc!" He complied, throwing the bottle like a football; Eliza caught it with ease. She poured some water on Alex's scarf and used the wet cloth to wipe off James' face. His coughing had slowed, but blood was still dripping out of his mouth.

"Is he going to be okay?" Thomas asked as sirens sounded in the distance.

"For both of your sakes," Eliza said, "I sure hope so."

 **For those of you asking about Maria's blackmail: I still haven't decided if i want to tell you.**

 **For those of you asking about Ariana:**

 **1\. This isn't the last time an ambulance is called.**

 **2\. In the words of our beloved Alexander Hamilton:** ** _Just you wait, just you wait._**


	40. Chapter 40

A wad of paper was thrown at Alexander's head during class a couple days later. At first, he thought someone was just bothering him, but then he saw that the paper was covered in writing. He picked up and read:

 _Meet me at the fountain in the park after class. Bring your friends. -TJ_

Alex mentally groaned, but told the squad what to do anyway. John, Hercules, Laf, and Eliza met Alex outside of his class' building; Peggy, Maria, and Angelica met up with them at the park.

"Did we really have to come?" Peggy whined as the squad headed towards the fountain.

"Just go with it," Alexander shrugged. John took his hand as they saw a purple-hooded figure appear on the other side of the fountain. When they got closer, the other person looked up in what seemed like surprise.

"You actually came," Thomas gasped. Alexander nodded.

"What do you want?" Alex asked.

"Your help." There was a beat of silence before Alex wondered if he should be laughing.

"What?"

"I know, it's...it's weird to me, too," Thomas sighed and pulled his hood down, making it clear how disheveled he looked. "But...I really need your help."

"With what, exactly?" John wondered. Thomas took a deep breath.

"James is really sick."

"As in?"

Thomas suddenly got angry. "As in, he had to get immediate surgery, sick. As in, he'll probably be in the hospital for a long time, sick. As in, his family can barely pay for his college, and won't be able to pay for this, too, sick. As in, he won't get better if he doesn't get this treatment, sick. As in, I'm absolutely terrified, because James is one of the few people who actually likes me, who I really like back, and he's going to _die, sick_."

"Okay, then," Alexander said. "But why us? You've been nothing but horrible to us; why do you think we would want help you?" Thomas sighed again and crossed his arms.

"Because a good amount of you have at least given me or James a chance before. Maria used to actually be our friend; Eliza when she dated James; Angelica liked us a little back then, too. And Gil is my cousin and my childhood best friend, and although it doesn't seem like it, I still love him and my family, and I know he does, too."

"He called me Gil," Laf whispered. "He hasn't done that in years."

"Wait...are you trying to guilt trip us?" Angelica inquired, to which Thomas shook his head suspiciously.

"If he is-" Eliza started.

"Oh no, please don't-"

"It's kinda working."

"There it is," Peggy sighed.

And so, the squad compiled all the money they could and handed it over to Thomas a few days later in the form of checks or dollar bills. Alexander was astonished when the Schuylers sighed checks for a few thousand dollars, at least. "You're just now understanding how rich their family is?" Maria had asked him. Though, Alex was more surprised at the couple thousand dollars that John was able to hand over. "Don't worry about where I got it, okay?" John had mumbled when Alexander had questioned him about the money.

When they met Thomas at the fountain again a few days later, and he saw the donations, he cried. He legitimately cried tears of joy and thanked them a million times and hugged each of them at least twice. And then, he somehow managed to do something even more surprising.

"I'm sorry," Thomas said shyly, just before he left. "Honestly, I feel really bad about everything, especially now. You're all so nice-for the most part-and I'm such an ass to you just because I know I can be."

"So, you'll stop being so horrible to everyone now?" Eliza smiled sweetly.

" _Yeah_ , _right_ ," Jefferson laughed. "This isn't some cliché sitcom or cartoon or fanfiction where the mean kid turns nice after a heartwarming speech. People don't change, you idiot. This is who I am and _I love it_." Eliza frowned. "But...I'll consider being a teeny, tiny, little bit nicer to you guys. _Maybe_."

"We wouldn't expect anything less from you," Lafayette said.

"Smart thinking, Marie." Laf nodded at the return of the nicknames as Jefferson winked and walked away with a huge grin on his face.


	41. Chapter 41

_He was floating again, but on top of a house this time. The water had risen so that it was just under the roof, but it kept getting higher._

 _There were more people in the water this time, floating around the house in a spiral, like sharks._

 _He recognized every single one of them._

 _As the water level rose, some of the people began to climb onto the roof._

 _But they were all dead. Zombies. Already drowned yet walking closer and closer to him._

 _He tried to scream, oh, how he tried. But nothing more than a gasp came out of his throat._

 _He tried to run, then, from the dead who were so close, they could touch him. Every time he took a step, though, he fell. Those still in the water had begun shaking the house to get him to fall into the water with them, which he just then noticed had risen to only a few feet below him._

 _As the water got closer, the shaking slowed and stopped, and those walking towards him slipped back under the waves._

 _He took a deep breath, thankful that the worst was over._

 _And then he was pulled under water so fast that he didn't have time to scream._

 _The water was dark and dirty, and he could barely see anything. He tried to swim to the surface, but found it got further away with every stroke._

 _Suddenly, he froze._

 _Through the darkness, he could see a single figure in the water. It was floating straight up, like it was standing, and it's arm was extended towards him._

 _It looked like an angel ready to take him to heaven._

 _But then it's head lifted, and with its face now in the light, he panicked._

 _The serene figure in front of him; he could have sworn they didn't drown._

 _Because it's curly hair and freckled face looked far too familiar to him._

 _And then it hit him, and when the realization came, the figure was suddenly right in front of him._

 _Suddenly holding him still._

 _Suddenly making him drown._

 _All with that beautiful smile of theirs plastered on their face._

 _And then, he found he could finally scream._

" _John!_ "

Alexander sat up quickly, sweating and crying, and found he was all alone. He wiped his face with one hand and grasped the vacant sheets next to him with the other.

"John?" Alex called out again, both his voice and body shaking. When he got no reply, he slowly rose out of bed and walked into the hall. He found John in the kitchen, wearing headphones, reading out of a notebook out loud, and pacing across the dorm. "John," Alex said loudly. His boyfriend glanced up, walked over to him, and kissed him on the cheek, all with a preoccupied look on his face.

"Morning, Alex," John muttered, then continued reading to himself. Alexander rolled his eyes and pushed John's headphones off of his head getting his attention. "What was that for?"

"You know," Alexander started, "it's a little bit rude not to acknowledge your boyfriend."

"What do you mean?" John asked, thoroughly confused.

"What do I mean?" Alex took a step closer to the other boy. "John, I had another nightmare. I _screamed_. And you either didn't notice or didn't care."

"Well, I'm sorry, but-"

"You were _dead_ , John. And you _drowned_ me and you _smiled_ the whole time and was scared out of my _mind_. And when I woke up, you weren't there. Can you imagine what I thought with that state of mind?" Alex had started shaking again. "If I didn't find you in here, I would have had another attack." John looked over Alex's face in concern.

"I-I'm sorry, Alexander," John said sincerely as he hugged his boyfriend. Alex sighed and returned the embrace.

"It's fine. I just overreacted-"

"No, you didn't." John stopped him. "You can't help it. I should have paid attention." John kissed Alex's head and pulled away. "I've just been really busy and stressed this morning, is all."

"What's stressing you?" Alex wondered.

"I have a really big presentation in biology today, and I've been practicing all morning, but I feel like it won't go well."

"Okay, let me hear it." John stared at Alex questioningly, before taking a deep breath and starting his speech.

"That was perfect," Alexander said once John had finished. "I have a few ideas, though..." He told John his plan, and he excitedly agreed. "And if you're still nervous, how about I come with?"

So, Alexander sat in the corner of John's classroom later that day with a smirk on his face and a small box in his hand. As John presented, he stole glances at Alex, making him stand straighter and speak clearer. Then, near the end, Alexander set the contents of the box on the ground.

"And, if they move into their shells," John was saying, "they are not only protected from harm, but they can also blend into their surroundings. For example, I'm sure none of you noticed the turtle in the room right now." The class all looked around in confusion as John smirked.

"Oh my gosh, there it is!" Someone shouted, pointing at the ground near them. John walked towards them and gently picked up his pet.

"This is Eleanor," John laughed as the rest of the class "awwed". John held onto Eleanor as he concluded his speech and got a round of applause at the end.

"Good job out there, John," Alex said as they left the building.

"Thank you, love," John replied with a kiss. Then , he reached into the box in his hands and pet his turtle, whispering, "Thanks, Eleanor."

 **You seem to think that Jefferson is going to be a bigger problem than he actually is...**


	42. Chapter 42

**Oh, you didn't think the bad stuff was over, did you?**

Alexander thought it would be a good day. In his law class, he turned in a 20 page essay that he had worked on for an entire week, and that he knew would get an A. And, of course, there was Jefferson.

"He lived, bitches!" Jefferson shouted when he walked in the room late, with Madison quietly laughing behind him. Most people, including Alexander, just rolled their eyes at the outburst, but Alex also caught himself smiling.

Especially when he noticed Jefferson and Madison discreetly holding hands as they left.

When Alex got back to his dorm, he called out, "John, I'm back."

Alex realized that John was in his room, because his voice was muffled when he replied, "Please, just...listen, I'm sorry, okay?"

"Um...sorry about what?" Alex asked, alarmed. He slowly made his way towards John's closed door.

There was a moment of silence before John said, "Well, I couldn't just let him die." From the quiet afterwards, Alexander concluded that John was talking to someone on the phone. He also understood that it was inappropriate for him to listen in, but his curiosity got the best of him. "No...no you don't have to-ugh...fine. Yeah...okay. Okay. Bye." There was a long while of silence in which Alex moved to knock on the door.

And then John shouted, " _Son of a bitch!_ " and something loudly hit a wall. Alexander quickly opened the door to see John sitting on his bed with his head in his hands, and a textbook sprawled on the floor across the room.

"John? Are you alright?" Alexander asked hesitantly, stepping into the room. John shook his head. "What's wrong?"

"Everything," John groaned.

"Specifically?"

"My dad." John sighed.

"More specifically?"

"He's decided that he's going to visit."

"...And?"

"And he's pissed." Alex sat on the bed next to John and gave him a questioning look. "He found out that I took some of his money to help Madison and he's mad about it. He's just as rich as the Schuylers but he's super stingy and doesn't care about anyone. The only reason he paid my tuition was because he wants me to be 'as successful as him'." John scoffed, "Like I would want to be anything like that _racist, sexist_ , _xenophobic_ , _homophobic, piece of shit._ " John shot a pillow across the room, then buried his head in his arm again. "My mom is dead because of him, Alexander. She couldn't take it. I couldn't take it."

"...Oh." Alexander couldn't think of anything else to say. Instead, he just wrapped his arm around John's shoulders and hugged him.

"What are we going to do, Alex?" John whispered.

"What do you think we should do?" Alexander countered.

"I don't know. All I know for sure is that I'm going to get beaten the moment I'm left alone with him."

"What do you think we should do now?" John shrugged in response.

"I guess...warn everyone."

"Okay," Alex nodded, standing up. "We can do that, and figure out what to do about your dad later. Okay?" John sighed and stood up slowly.

"Yeah, sure," John muttered hoarsely.

"Okay, then. Let's do that."


	43. Chapter 43

**ImmigrantBastard** : We have a problem.

 **BestSis** : who?

 **ImmigrantBastard** : How did you know it was a person?

 **BestSis** : I just do. Who is it?

 **drunkturtle** : my dad. He's visiting in a week

 **MFDemiGOD** : and that's a problem...why?

 **drunkturtle** : let me rephrase: my abusive, alcoholic, controlling dad is visiting in a week

 **CinnamonRolls** : Oh no.

 **BAGUETTE** : oh mon Dieu...

 **drunkturtle** : and did I forget to mention that he's racist, sexist, xenophobic, and homophobic?

 **BAGUETTE** : Oh.

 **MFDemiGOD** : OH

 **PEGPEG** : OH NO

 **BossB*tch** : OH FUCK NO

 **BestSis** : ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME

 **CinnamonRolls** : THATS LITERALLY ALL OF OUR FRIEND GROUP WTH NONONONO

 **drunkturtle** : yeah...correct reactions

 **BAGUETTE** : what do we do?

 **drunkturtle** : ...I don't know

 **CinnamonRolls** : What are you and Alex going to do?

 **drunkturtle** : I DONT KNOW OKAY

 **BossB*tch** : okay buddy deep breaths. I don't think Liza can handle being yelled at

 **PEGPEG** : I hate to say it, but just pretend to not be dating. Herc and Laf can do the same. That eliminates one issue.

 **ImmigrantBastard** : While that is a fairly good idea...I don't know...

 **drunkturtle** : we're doing that. All of us. Even Peggy and Maria. Trust me it's for the best

 **MFDemiGOD** : umm ok

 **BAGUETTE** : ugh if I have to...

 **BestSis** : ok probably a bad time but WHAT DID YOU SAY?

 **PEGPEG** : ...crap...Really John?

 **BossB*tch** : you told John? Really?

 **PEGPEG** : yea I told Laf too. We're all gay so it's like a bond

 **BestSis** : I NEED ANSWERS. NOW.

 **BossB*tch** : I took your sister on a couple dates. Third is Friday at 5 btw

 **PEGPEG** : k

 **ImmigrantBastard** : This is hilarious and really cute.

 **BestSis** : ARE YOU KIDDING ME WHY DIDNT YOU TELL ME ABOUT THIS

 **PEGPEG** : why do you think Angie?

 **CinnamonRolls** : AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH OOOOOMMMMYYYYGGGOOOOODDDFDFDGHFDFHIJHGYIGCDF

 **drunkturtle** : ...anyway...I'm terrified

 **ImmigrantBastard** : We're all terrified.

 **drunkturtle** : this isn't going to work. Even if you make it seem like none of you aren't straight, which I can't do because he knows me, each of you are just another problem to him.

 **CinnamonRolls** : We'll get through this, John.

 **drunkturtle** : No. No you don't understand. We won't get through this. We can't get through this. He's a horrible human being. Dare I even say human being.

 **ImmigrantBastard** : John, calm down please. You're having a panic attack.

 **BAGUETTE** : I am sure we can live through your father being here for a couple days

 **drunkturtle** : MY MOTHER IS DEAD BECAUSE OF HIM. SHE WASNT EVEN THE PROBLEM. I AM. SHE KILLED HERSELF BECAUSE OF ME. SO I DONT KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT I KNOW THAT I LITERALLY CANT LIVE THROUGH HIM BEING HERE

 **drunkturtle** : I'm sorry

 **drunkturtle** : I just...I'm gonna need some space for a while...


	44. Chapter 44

John Laurens loved his family more than anything. His four younger siblings were adorable, and he protected them with his life. And his mother was a precious gift from heaven in his eyes.

His father? Not so much.

John saw his mother, Eleanor, as a pure soul, which nothing could taint. She loved her children with all her heart, and supported them through thick and thin.

His father, Henry, however...Well, plenty of people already knew what he was like. Especially his family. He had always been like that, though, so there was nothing it seemed anyone could do.

But John always wished there was.

He was a rebel in his family, which was an extremely dangerous job. Considering Henry would hit at least one of his children at least once every day when he wasn't _really_ angry, all hell broke loose if one of them made him mad. But John did just that. Anytime Henry spoke badly about people of other races, John would mention that he had friends of those heritages. If Henry said something about women being dumb, John told him that he recently learned about a little girl with a higher IQ than Einstein. When Henry would say that immigrants were annoying, John would say how nice it is that they can start a new life in America. When Henry said that gay people should all burn in hell...John froze up.

John realized early in his life that he didn't like girls. At first, in elementary school, it wasn't very obvious. All he knew was that a lot of girls had crushes on him, but he didn't like any of them back. In sixth grade, he figured it out. One of his friends had told him about it. And something clicked. And it made so much sense. And now there was a word for it. And now he had to hide it, because this was around the time that his father had started ranting about 'horrible people' like him. But Henry didn't know about John...yet.

John's 13th birthday. The day when it happened. John had been keeping his secret from his family for a year and it was tearing him up inside. And he wouldn't tell anyone this for as long as he lived, but after his mother sang him Happy Birthday, and told him to blow out the candles, John wished and begged and prayed to God that everything would turn out okay. Although, he knew very well that the wish was pointless.

But he took a deep, shaky breath and told them anyway.

And while they all stood there in silence, he realized his mistake.

The blow to his head came later than he expected.

Henry left after that, and didn't come back until late at night. He was drunk and mad and looking for someone to take his anger out on. Again. Of course, he went straight to John, now having another reason to hurt him. John's mother and siblings heard all of it; the yelling and crying and beating. But this was much worse than anything that had happened before. So much so that Eleanor ran into the room, screaming for him to stop; that he was going to kill John. She tried to pull Henry away, only to be thrown to the ground.

That was how the worst began.

After that, he never celebrated his birthday with his family while his father was around. While he was out, or in the middle of the night sometimes, Eleanor would bake cupcakes and his sisters and brothers would congratulate him on another year. The celebration of John's ability to live for one year started to mean a lot.

In John's freshman year of high school, he got his first boyfriend. In fact, he happened to be the same person who helped John figure out his sexuality in the first place. Their relationship was kept a secret, of course, and lasted for three and a half months.

It ended when Henry found out.

That day, Eleanor had to defend her oldest child once again. She had been doing that more often, though her efforts were only rewarded with the knowledge that her son didn't die at the hands of her husband that day.

However, John almost killed himself that night.

He didn't, though, because his siblings walked into the room and took the blade from his hands and hugged him until he stopped crying.

The time before that, it was his oldest brother.

And the time before that was his youngest sister.

And the time before that was his oldest sister.

And the time before that, his youngest brother.

John's life got harder as the days progressed and turned to weeks and turned to months and turned into a year. He also noticed his mother getting more and more disheveled as time went on.

Then, on May 22nd, John's last day of sophomore year, his mother drove him home after school. It was a long drive filled with long conversations. They somehow got into a discussion about Henry, which, in retrospect, was not a smart thing to do.

In the middle of John ranting, Eleanor suddenly said, "I'm sorry I couldn't help you." When John asked what she meant, and said that she had helped more than she needed to, she ignored him. She kept repeating, "I'm sorry...I couldn't do it...I'm sorry, I couldn't do it..." over and over and over and John was confused and scared and then she drove into a tree.

And then, she was gone.

And, according to Henry, John was to blame.

And though things were worse with his father, and he had no one to save him, John learned how to survive. So he did. Because his siblings needed him alive. Because his father didn't want him to be alive. Because his mother and friends _did_ want him to be alive. Because he knew it would get better as long as he just stayed alive.

And while that seems like a good ending, John was currently doing his best to forget every word of his story.


	45. Chapter 45

Alexander had left his dorm for 30 minutes to help Lafayette with homework. During those 30 minutes, John had left without so much as a word to Alex. So, of course, Alex had a minor panic attack when his boyfriend had suddenly disappeared.

"Where are you?" Alexander questioned over the phone.

"Out," John answered. There was a large amount of background noise accompanying John's tired voice.

"Where specifically are you?" Alex asked, sterner this time.

"Forgetting my entire life." From the slurred speech, Alexander could only come to one conclusion.

"Are you _drunk_ right now?"

"I...probably."

"How many drinks have you had?"

"I dunno."

"John, your father is coming over tomorrow," Alex sighed. "You won't want to be hungover-"

"I won't want to be _alive_ tomorrow, Alex."

"Okay," Alex massaged his temples before grabbing his coat. "I'm coming to get you."

"Yay," John giggled. "I love you, Alexander."

"Yeah, yeah. I love you, too. Just stay where you are."

"Can do, Lexi." Alexander hung up and headed out, all the while wondering why John had called him 'Lexi'.

As he walked through the dark streets, his train of thought went wild.

 _Alright, so, clearly John has family issues and clearly they're bad enough that he's driven to drinking when they arise. And, clearly, this is incredibly bad. So now I'll have to keep an extra eye out for John while his father is here, which will be difficult considering we can't look like we're together._

 _Speaking of, how are we go to do this? Most of us are in relationships-gay relationships at that-and we're probably the most diverse group in the school anyway, so...this is going to be near impossible. I hate to say John was right about this, but we're literally the worst people for him to be friends with. I'm literally the worst person for him to date._

 _But...goddamnit I love him._

 _Wait, who is that? She looks so familiar...I swear I've seen her before at school. She's the girl that Aaron always talks about, I think. What's her name? Theresa? Tabitha? Theo-Theodosia! Maybe I should introduce myself. I'm sure she's heard of me by now, right? I feel like I've become fairly well known for a freshman._

 _Why didn't that car stop?_

Alex pulled Theodosia out of the way just as the car swerved the other direction. The driver swore at them as if they were the problem, and Alex made a mental note to remember the man's face.

"Oh my God," Theodosia gasped with wide eyes.

"Are you okay?" Alexander asked, leading her to the sidewalk.

"Y-yeah, I think so," Theodosia muttered. "I mean-I'm probably going to throw up, but I think I'm good. Thank you. Seriously, I don't know how to thank you enough."

"You don't need to," Alex replied, then remembered why he was out there. "I have to go. See you at school, I guess." And with that, he left her on the side of the road and continued on his mission.

The bar was crowded when he arrived, forcing Alexander to shove through groups of drunk adults and college kids. He found John hunched over the bar table with his hair falling out of the ponytail.

"John," Alex said, tapping his boyfriend on the shoulder and standing next to him.

"Oh, _heeey_ ~ Lexi," John said flirtatiously, looking up.

"Oh my God...Come on, we're leaving." Alex took hold of John's arm and pulled, but he didn't budge.

"I don't wanna!" John whined, pulling his arm away. He put on a pouting face. "Don't you wanna stay here with me?"

"John, I almost got hit by a car on the way here. I want to go-"

"Alex?" Maria stood on the other side of the bar table, cleaning a glass.

"Maria? I forgot you worked this shift," Alex said. Maria nodded.

"He remembered," Maria gestured to John, who smiled dopily. "You know, I've heard a whole lot of drunkenly spouted life stories, but," She whistled. "He's got the worst."

"How much did you give him?" Alex inquired. He took a beer out of John's hands as the already drunk boy was about to take a drink.

"Four, I think. Maybe five. Maybe more."

"Oh no..." Alex sighed. "What happened to him?"

"Sorry bud, can't tell you." Maria shook her head grimly. "I'm a loyal secret keeper. But I'll bet you can get it out of him." She winked and got back to work.

"Alright," Alex groaned, dragging John out of his chair. "Let's get you to bed."

"Only if you come to bed with me, Lexi," John snickered, leaning against Alex.

"Not if you're drunk," Alexander countered. "And stop calling me that."


	46. Chapter 46

**Before this ordeal begins, I have one thing to say: ahem...MWAHAHA**

 **Carry on.**

John avoided everyone the next day by hiding in his room. The only way he communicated was through texts to Alexander and no one else. They could tell he was scared, so they let him be. Meanwhile, the rest of the squad planned a dinner at the cafe, and a plan of either attack or escape if anything went wrong.

Then, at exactly 5:53 in the afternoon, John burst out of his room with a slam of the door, making Alex jump off the couch in surprise. He ran towards the entryway while hyperventilating and frantically tying up his hair.

"John? Why are you-" Alex was interrupted by a sudden, breathtaking kiss that seemed to last forever.

When John pulled away he said, "Never know if it'll be the last, right?"

"What?" was all Alexander could say. John stared into his eyes lovingly for another moment, kissed him again, then pulled away and faced the front door.

"He's coming." They went silent as footsteps sounded in the hall outside. They both held their breath when the footsteps stopped. A single knock and John had already opened the door. The man on the other side was huge and terrifying and already looked angry. John's voice shook as he spoke. "Hi, Dad."

"Hello, Jacky." The man's voice was deep and rough, and it sent a chill down Alexander's spine. He wore an evil grin as he stepped inside, then frowned when he saw Alexander standing awkwardly to the side. "Who is this?" He asked bitterly, gesturing to Alex, who wished he could disappear right then. Maybe the feeling was partially caused by the fact that Alexander thought he had seen the man before.

"This is my _roommate_ ," John sighed, closing the door. Suddenly just being John's roommate again made Alex's stomach churn. But John reassured him by making a silly face behind his father's back, and Alex had to close his eyes for moment to keep from laughing. Instead, he cleared his throat and held out his hand.

"Alexander Hamilton," the boy said.

"Henry Laurens," the man responded, shaking Alex's hand.

"I've heard so much about you, sir," Alexander forced a smile. "I'm actually going into law school in a few years. I am sure a successful lawyer such as yourself would have plenty of tips for an up-and-coming lawyer like me. I would love to hear some if you get the chance." The creepy smile returned to Henry's face, while John looked awestruck behind him.

"Well, here's a tip for you, son," Alex bit his tongue at the name. "Always know everything the prosecuted can be charged of before the trial. Saves a butt load of time." Alex nodded, though he already knew all he needed to know.

After a moment, John, with a confused look on his face, said, "Well, we should probably get going if we want to get to dinner on time." The other two agreed and they headed out.

Henry had decided to take his own car, so Alexander and John were alone for a while.

"You two seem to be getting along wonderfully," John told Alex, who rolled his eyes.

" _Please_ ," Alex groaned. "That was the most terrifying experience of my life. That man is scary."

"What was up with you asking for lawyer tips, then?"

"I was just catering to his likes."

"You-you were sucking up to my dad?"

"Well, yeah. That's how it works, right?" The boys laughed, but the sound was hollow. John reached over and held Alex's hand like a lifeline.

"I'm so scared, Alexander," John mumbled. Alex gulped and nodded in response. As they pulled up to the cafe, John stared ahead blankly. "I-I can't..." Alex squeezed his hand just before John separated from him and said, "I love you, Alexander. And...I really hope this isn't the last time I get to say that." And then he left before Alexander could respond.


	47. Chapter 47

**This chapter doesn't have a set POV because I wanted to show everyone's feelings and whatever. Also, once again, I'm bad at describing things/writing in general.**

 **Also...this is when it starts getting bad...because you all wanted to know so badly...**

"Okay, everyone," Angelica said after John had texted her that he was outside. "Take deep breaths, and try not to get too angry, because we _are_ in public. Oh, and Maria is getting here a little late." Everyone nodded at stared ahead as three people approached the table. They looked up to see John, Alex, and-

"Everyone, this is my dad, Henry Laurens." John said in a strangled voice. If Hercules had never been scared of anyone before, he was now. His breath hitched at just the sight the man in front of him.

Angelica was the first to move. "Hello, sir," She held her hand out. "I'm Angelica Schuyler." Henry nodded, but didn't receive her gesture. She awkwardly lowered her arm and went to introduce her siblings. "These are my sisters, Eliza," Eliza gave a shy wave, "and-"

"I'm Peggy," the youngest sister cut in.

"Don't interrupt people, girl," Henry growled as he sat down.

"Well, excuse me, Princess," Peggy muttered, to which Angelica snickered, to which Henry glared.

"This," John gained his father's attention again, "is Hercules and Laf." He gestured to his friends who nodded at their names.

"What do you do?" Henry asked Hercules, sounding suspicious.

Hercules was about to ask, "Why does it matter?" but he held his tongue. Instead, he said, "I play football." Henry's glare softened slightly, and he nodded in approval, raising Herc's confidence for a moment.

John and Alex glanced at each other with a hopeful smile that said, "Maybe this won't be as bad as we thought?"

Then, Henry looked at Laf and asked what he did as well. Lafayette panicked and glanced at Hercules for help. "Uh, he's studying to be a history teacher," Herc said.

"I didn't ask _you_ ," Henry sneered, then looked at Laf expectantly.

"Uhm...yes," Laf mumbled. "He is correct." Henry squinted at him.

"What's with the accent?" The man questioned.

"I-I am from France, Monsieur."

"What did you just call me?" Lafayette flinched and looked at the floor.

"Dad," John whispered. "He just said 'sir'."

"You're in America; speak English." Lafayette's face reddened at Henry's comment.

Just then, Maria arrived. She sat next to Peggy and brushed her hair out of her face, looking exhausted. "Sorry I'm late," she exhaled deeply. "Class went on too long." She faced Henry and smiled. "Hi, I'm Maria." When she didn't get a reply right away, Maria noticed that Henry was looking her over with a disgusted look.

"What are you wearing?" Maria glanced down at her outfit in confusion. She was wearing a tank top, a fairly tight skirt, and a leather jacket to fight the coming cold weather. She was wearing things that she usually wore, which was why she was so confused by the question.

"Why do you care about my fashion choices?" Maria asked, her natural sassiness showing its face.

"You're dressed like a skank," Henry told her.

" _Excuse me_?" Maria gasped.

"Girls dressed like you all end up being hookers or strippers." By now, everyone at the table was gaping at Henry's brashness. All but John, who shyly stared down at the table.

"For your information," Maria countered angrily, "I am a business major."

"And what does a stupid girl like you think that will get you?"

"Dad..." John said in barely a whisper.

" _Stupid_? Are you serious?" Maria struggled to keep her voice down.

"Yes, I'm serious," Henry smirked darkly.

"Dad, stop, please," John mumbled.

"When girls dress like you, they deserve the rape they get."

" _Dad_!" Other than John's shout, the table went silent.

Maria didn't realize she was holding her breath as her face flushed red and tears stung her eyes. Her chair fell to the floor when she suddenly stood and ran out of the building.

"Maria?" Peggy called, standing up. "Maria!" She followed the other girl with a panicked look on her face.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Angelica yelled in Henry's face as she and the squad left with Peggy.

"Tu es dégoûtant," Lafayette muttered as he walked by.

As Alexander was leaving, he turned around and saw John still sitting at the table with his father. John's pink face and wide eyes made Alex want to go back to him, but Henry's dark glare at his son while they argued made him keep walking.

They followed Maria around the corner of the building into a small alleyway that she froze in the middle of.

"Leave me alone," Maria mumbled over shoulder, pulling her arms up to chest.

"No," Peggy said firmly. "What's wrong? I mean, I understand what's wrong, but it isn't like you to run away."

There was a moment of quiet before Maria choked out, "He's right." Her friends stared at her in confusion.

"No he isn't," Eliza argued. "No one deserves something like that."

"Yeah, okay." Maria laughed in a way that made it obvious that she was not okay. She turned towards the squad with a tear-stained face, suddenly angry. "You can tell that to the _dozens_ of people I _begged_ to help me when I was _thirteen_ years old and my cousin-" Maria bit her lip, trying to hold back her sobs. "They told me exactly what he said."

"Oh my God..." Peggy gasped. "I...I'm so sorry."

"No. No, don't start with that. Just leave me alone." Peggy shook her head and stepped forward, but Maria dodged her.

"Leave me alone!" Maria broke past her crowd of friends and darted down the street. The squad stood there for a minute, then Peggy shrieked in anger and headed back to the door of the cafe.

"Peggy," Alexander almost hesitated to speak as he and the others walked behind her. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to kick his ass," Peggy said through gritted teeth. She walked inside, but froze when she saw the vacant table she was sitting at just minutes before. "Where is he?"

"Better question is," Alex felt panic bubbling in his chest and stomach, "where is John?"

 **Tu es dégoûtant = You are disgusting**


	48. Chapter 48

Alexander paced along the sidewalk while his friends watched on. His stomach churned with nervousness as he frantically texted John.

 **AHam** : Where did you go?

 **AHam** : John, where are you?

 **OhJohnnyBoy** : I can't talk right now

 **AHam** : Well, you're going to have to. Where are you?

 **OhJohnnyBoy** : Alex seriously stop

 **AHam** : No. Please just tell me where you are. You're scaring me.

 **AHam** : John?

 **OhJohnnyBoy** : I'm going to the dorm

 **AHam** : We'll be there soon.

 **OhJohnnyBoy** : don't. I'm fine. Just leave me alone

 **AHam** : That makes me want to go even more. You didn't seem fine earlier and you don't seem fine now.

 **OhJohnnyBoy** : please Alexan

 **AHam** : John?

 **AHam** : John?

 _ **Message not sent.**_

" _Shit_ ," Alex sighed and stared up at the sky for a moment.

"What's wrong?" Angelica asked.

"John isn't okay," Alexander said. "I have to get back to the dorm."

"Um, okay...yeah, let's go."

And then they were off. Hercules drove Laf and Alex through town as fast as he could, swearing at every red light or light bout of traffic. Alexander didn't even wait for the car to stop before he jumped out and ran into his dorm building. Herc, Lafayette, and the sisters followed close behind. Alex tried his best to remain calm as he walked down the hall towards his dorm room, but his pace quickened when he saw that the door was left ajar.

"John?" Alexander called out, pushing the door open farther. He got no response. The rest of the squad came inside and they all slowly walked around the dorm in little groups. "John?" Alex knocked on John's closed door. After a moment, he placed his hand on the doorknob.

"Don't come in," a faint, frail voice said from the other side. John. Alex ignored the demand and opened the door.

Alexander wanted to scream when he looked inside.

So, he did.

" _Oh my God!_ " The squad came running as Alex hurried over to his boyfriend. They all gasped when they saw the state that John was in. John was laying on the floor against his pet's tank, his head resting on the wall. His eyes continuously fluttered open and closed, and his breathing was labored. John held his right arm tightly over the elbow, and his face was covered in bruises. Alexander crouched down to John as he began hyperventilating. "Jesus..." Alex mumbled, looking his boyfriend over in fear. "What happened to you?" John avoided Alexander's eyes as tears began to form in his own. "No...don't tell me..." But Alex understood. He pulled John into a hug, but released him when he winced in pain. "Eliza, can you help?" Alexander asked the girl behind him. The others had been staring on in shock, unmoving, not knowing what to do. Eliza didn't react when Alexander spoke to her. "Eliza, please." The girl snapped back into focus, and she quickly knelt down in front of John.

"Uhm...okay," Eliza whispered. "What hurts the most, John?"

John glanced up at her and smirked tiredly. "Probably my bleeding head."

Both Alex and Eliza blinked and muttered, "What?"

"You would be bad detectives," John grinned. He moved his gaze up the wall. "I'm pretty sure there's a dent in the wall somewhere."

"J-John, are you being serious?" Eliza asked hesitantly. Then John did something even more surprising.

He laughed.

He laughed and laughed and turned his head, revealing the matted, red-tinted hair on the left side of his head. Lafayette gagged. "You really don't get it, do you?" John stared at them like a maniac. "I am going to _die_. In the literal sense. That asshole is a _monster_. He couldn't care less who lives or dies. As long as he gets what he wants."

"I...uh..." Eliza stuttered while the others were quiet. "I'll get something to help with your head." She stood, still in a daze, and left the room. A minute later, Eliza returned and tended to John's wound.

"Thanks," John said when Eliza was finished. She nodded solemnly.

"I...excuse me." Eliza hastily left the room, covering her mouth to try to keep from crying too hard. Her sisters and Hercules followed her out. Lafayette hesitated in the doorway for a moment, with a look of sad understanding on his face. He closed the door behind him when he walked away.

"John, we're going to get your father to leave." Alexander took hold of John's hand. "We'll get through this together, okay?" John sighed and shook his head, pulling his hand away.

"You shouldn't have to be dealing with this with me. I should be going through this _alone_." John told Alex, pulling his knees up to his chest. "Just like I have for years."


	49. Chapter 49

**OMG MY FRIEND CAME OUT TO ME LITERALLY A HALF AN HOUR BEFORE POSTING THIS GUYS THIS IS GREAT IM CRYING**

 ***Ahem* Anyway...**

 **ImmigrantBastard** : he said that he doesn't know where his father might be

 **MFDemiGOD** : dammit

 **PEGPEG** : whatever. We can kill him when he comes back

 **BestSis** : you're sure John's okay?

 **ImmigrantBastard** : physically yes

 **BestSis** : are you okay?

 **ImmigrantBastard** : yeah I'm fine

 **BestSis** : really? Because you aren't writing with perfect grammar anymore

 **ImmigrantBastard** : probably because I'm absolutely terrified because my boyfriend is ready to die and legitimately laughed when he said his father wanted to kill him and he still hasn't come out of his room

 **BestSis** : neither has Eliza

 **PEGPEG** : Maria still won't talk to me

 **BAGUETTE** : what is this man doing to us?

 **ImmigrantBastard** : horrible things

Alexander sighed into his pillow, then realized how long it had been since he had last slept in his own room, and sighed again. He was exhausted, but couldn't fall asleep. Not with all the stress he was under.

Of course he was stressed; who wouldn't be? The person he loved most in the world was physically and mentally hurting, and it seemed like there was nothing anyone could do. John wouldn't even look at him, let alone talk to him anymore.

Alexander was scared, and surprised by his fear. He had never been more scared in his life, which did not make sense to him. When his father was around, when his mother died, when his cousin committed suicide, when his town was destroyed; why was he more scared now than then? He supposed it was because he wasn't expecting this as much, although, he didn't expect anything that happened to him.

Then, he assumed that his fear was caused by his feeling of actually having something important he could lose.

He wanted to say that that didn't make sense either.

Alexander was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard a door click open and soft footsteps go past his door. He checked his phone and realized that it was almost 11:50 at night. Alex didn't understand why he hesitated to get out of bed. He quietly left his room and crept down the hall. As he moved through the dorm, the sounds of muffled sobs began to be heard, leading to the kitchen. The curtain for the front room's window was open, letting in light from outside. Moonlight faintly lit up the room, giving a spotlight to the back of the curly-haired boy in the kitchen, and glinting off the knife in his hand.

"John?" Alex called out, shakily. John's head perked up, and the sound of crying hiccuped. "What are you doing?"

 _Please don't be doing what I think you're doing._

"N-nothing," John muttered, his hand shaking. He moved his other arm so that the sleeve of his sweatshirt fell back down.

 _No, no, please, no._

"John..." Alexander pleaded.

 _Please, stop. Please, don't do this._

John nodded and seemed to struggle to let go of the blade. After he did, his hands shot down to his sides, and he released a loud and shaky breath.

"Go sit down," Alexander whispered. "You obviously need to calm down." As John made his way to the couch, Alex picked up the dropped knife and put it on the counter, then stood frozen for a moment, staring at the blade, in sudden realization that everything happening was real. He took a deep breath, and went to sit next to John.

"I'm so, so sorry," John whimpered before Alexander could say anything.

"Shh..." Alexander wrapped his arms around John and pulled him close. "I understand the amount of stress you're going through-"

"It's been one day, Alexander. I couldn't handle _one day_ ," John sobbed into Alex's chest while the other boy gently pet his head. "I wasn't going to-"

"Don't." Alex shook his head. "Please...just..." He sighed. "How can I help you, John? How can anyone help you?"

"You can't."

"That's not true. I don't even know what happened in your past, so neither of us can say that there's nothing I can do."

They were silent for a while, just sitting in each other's presence. But then, John burst. Words and tears flooded out of him like a dam had broken in his mind. Alexander was surprised, but took it all in slowly. After John had finished speaking, it went quiet again, the only sound being John as he cried. Alex just held onto him tightly as the minutes passed by, and they both drifted into the dark, strange world of sleep.


	50. Chapter 50

_"Would you trust me to save your life?" Alexander looked up at the question that came out of nowhere. At first, he truly thought about the question, debating his answer. He was about to say yes, but then saw the playful smile on John's face._

 _"Of course not," Alexander grinned as John laughed._

 _"That is probably for the best." They joked about this all the time, usually after one of them had done something unintelligible. For example, John had just dropped his gun three times in a row as they were heading off to train. Earlier that week, Alexander had lost his pen, and taken an hour to find that he had tucked it behind his ear. While this question was of course a joke, as they had been fighting in the war together for months, Alexander had to wonder why he had thought about his answer for so long. Perhaps because there was a lilt of true concern in John's voice when he had asked the question today._

 _"Alexander?" John snapped his fingers in front of Alexander's eyes._

 _"I apologize; I was lost in thought." Alexander pulled his overcoat tighter to his chest as a winter wind blew. "Were you saying something, dear Laurens?" John smiled softly and blushed. Alexander was lucky he and John were in the back of the group that had gone out to practice, or else they could be found out by the others._

 _"No, but I feared you might run into a tree again." Alexander frowned, remembering the several times he had been so lost in thought that he ran into a tree or bush or person. A few weeks prior, John had caught Alexander as he tripped and fell in their tent. As if on cue, John took hold of Alexander's arm and tugged, causing the smaller man to collapse into John's side. A spindly tree passed by in the place Alexander had just stood. He huffed as he moved away from John, who snickered at his embarrassment. "Would you trust me to save your life now?"_

 _"No."_

 _The world erupted into light, and everything changed._

 _Now, they stood in a hastily built tent filling with the summer heat. They ignored the hot air, but made their own. Quick, shy kisses as one passed by the other; soft touches to arms and legs and faces that would be considered too intimate to most; caring smiles and whispered romantics and loving glints reflecting in each other's eyes. Though the room they shared was only for them, they still kept quiet about their love._

 _"Alexander..." John whispered in the boy's ear. The hot breath and tone of voice the came from John's lips made Alexander shiver, besides the warmth of the season. "It is late. You need to go to sleep." It was only then that Alexander saw that the only light he had came from the candle on his desk. He then looked back down at the letters he had been writing for hours._

 _"John, I still have to finish these-"_

 _"We both know that you have finished all of the urgent letters."_

 _"Just let me-" Alexander was silenced when John blew out the candle, making the room become as dark as the night sky. The only stars they could see were in their eyes._

 _"As long as you share a room with me, you will go to sleep at a reasonable time," John said as he dragged Alexander up and away from his desk, earning a grumble as a response. "You know very well how exhausted and irritable you will be tomorrow if you do not go to sleep now." As Alexander walked through the small room, he tripped._

 _A flash of light went off in Alexander's mind._

What the hell was that?

 _He nearly fell to the ground, if not for John's arms wrapping around him and bringing their chests together. John smirked as he said, "Would you trust me to save your life?"_

 _Alexander didn't respond. Instead, he thought,_ Something is wrong.

 _"Alexander, are you alright?" John looked down at him in concern._

 _"I...I am...yes," Alexander replied._

 _Another flash, but this time, instead of light, he saw a silhouette._

 _"Alexander?" John still held the smaller boy close to him._

 _Yet another flash._

 _Alexander took a few steps back, much to the other boy's dismay._

 _"Alexander, what is wrong?"_

 _"I am not sure..." Alexander mumbled._

 _"What did you say?"_

 _"John, do you recall when you stopped me from walking into a tree?"_

 _"What?"_

 _"I know that it is a strange, unimportant moment to remember, but-"_

 _"I have done no such thing."_

 _The silhouette was made of blurred color this time._

This has happened before.

 _"What do you mean? None of this has happened before."_

Something is wrong.

 _"I think you need to get to sleep."_

 _It was a person, floating before him._

 _"John, what is going on?"_

 _"War, my dear Alexander."_

 _John threw Alexander to the ground just before a gunshot sounded. The vision of John in Alexander's head went dark. A bullet tore through John's chest as he smiled down at the terrified boy below him. Crimson drops splashed onto Alexander's petrified body, forever staining his mind._

 _"Would you trust me to save your life now?"_

 _John's body went limp, and his breathing halted as he closed his eyes and fell to the ground. Alexander burst into tears and screamed._

 _"NO!"_


	51. Chapter (the other) 51

Alexander gasped and opened his teary eyes wide, frantically looking around him. It took him a moment to realize that John was right in front of him, panicked and trying to get his attention.

"Alex," John held Alex's arms. "Alexander. Look at me. Alexander!" Alex finally looked at John's face, examined it, and hugged John tight. He shoved his face into John's chest, listening closely for his heartbeat, just to make sure it was still there. "Shh...it's okay, Alexander. It was just a night-" Alex cut him off with deep kiss.

A kiss that was not reciprocated.

John pulled away, seemingly in pain. Alexander looked up at him sadly.

"I just..." John shook his head. "Are you okay? You were shaking a lot...a-and you screamed. I've been trying to wake you up for ten minutes." Alexander stared blankly at him. "Alex? Are you alright?"

"Yes." John looked down at him in suspicion. "I'm fine. I swear. I just...you...it was just another hurricane nightmare." Alexander hurried through his words, not wanting to explain his dream.

"Okay..." John hesitantly stepped back. "Well, I have to go to class. Text me if you...if something happens." Alexander nodded absentmindedly as John left the dorm without another word.

And so Alexander was left alone with his thoughts and memories, which were not good things for him to be alone with.

The first thing he thought was, again, _What the hell was that?_

Alexander's nightmares had always been about things that had already happened to him, so this was certainly new. And extremely terrifying to remember.

 _First of all, what was even happening? Why was I in, like, the revolutionary war or something? If that was even what it was. I haven't needed to think about that for months._

 _And why was John there?_

 _Everything felt so real and detailed...no wonder I thought it was actually happening. Honestly, I'm not so sure if I was lucid or not._

 _So why was John there?_

 _What was the importance of any of that? Walking into trees? Tripping? The silhouette from the figure in my last nightmare? The apparent time travel in general?_

 _Why John was there?_

 _Being saved from a random bullet?_

 _Why John was there._

 _"Would you trust me to save your life?"_

Alexander almost screamed when his phone alarm went off. He had begun to doze off again.

 _Dream John is right...I should start going to bed earlier..._

For the first time in his life, Alex didn't pay attention in class. This, of course, caused him to surprise the entire class by not talking.

Mr. Washington had asked if he felt sick, to which Alexander responded, "I'm just tired."

Aaron, sitting next to him, said, "You look like you need to leave class, Hamilton." Alex shook his head.

Thomas Jefferson threw another paper at him that read, _Seriously, Hamilton. Talk. Class isn't fun if we aren't arguing and I'm honestly kinda scared._

Alexander tore the note in half and dropped it on the floor.

They left him alone after that.

Until, in the middle of class, Aaron spoke to him again.

"Thank you." Alexander ignored the words until he realized what they were. His eyes flicked up to see Aaron facing him.

"For what?" Alexander asked, turning back to his papers.

"For saving Theodosia." Alex looked back up. For the first time, Aaron looked truly thankful, relaxed, and happy, rather than stiff and proud.

"Um..." Alexander's mind was still muddled with thoughts, so it took him a moment to find a response. "Yeah...no problem."

"You're acting as if saving people is part of your daily routine."

"More like, if the situation arises, I would rather die so others can live their lives." Aaron was quiet for a while, so Alex went back to working. However, no words made it to the paper in front of him, as his mind had travelled into his memories again.

He gasped.

Before he could comprehend his own thoughts, his phone lit up in his pocket. When he looked at it, he stood and ran out of the classroom, leaving his things and confused classmates behind.

 **drunkturtle** : if anyone can, come to the dorm now. He's back


	52. Chapter 52

Alexander was the last to arrive to the dorm, despite sprinting through the streets, tripping over some baby carriages and probably disobeying a few laws on his way. When he burst through the door, out of breath, he found all his friends (even Maria had come) staring back at him. Alex cleared his throat and walked inside, and it took him a moment to see Henry facing the crowd. The man turned when Alexander closed the door.

"How many lackeys do you have?" Henry grumbled, glancing back at John, who stood with his arms crossed, and with all his friends standing defensively behind him.

"You're lucky I'm the last one," Alexander said as he walked past Henry and stood next to John.

"Good. Maybe you can get your annoying friends to leave," Henry suggested.

"For the last time," Lafayette stepped forward. "If anyone is going to leave, it will be you. We are not letting you hurt John again." Several others, including Alexander, nodded in agreement.

"You have no right to tell me how to parent my son," Henry argued. "He has no understanding of what is right or wrong, and I won't reward him for choosing what's wrong."

"How is he in the wrong, exactly?" Alex wondered.

"He's surrounded by people like you, giving him a bad influence."

"Uh-huh, sure." Alexander rolled his eyes.

"You missed the best part," Angelica almost laughed. "Earlier, he said, and I quote: 'Being a fag like all of you is a sin.' Peggy almost beat his ass."

"I'll still do it!" Peggy's voice rang out from behind Alexander. It was only when he turned around that he realized that Peggy's arms were being firmly held onto by Maria and Hercules.

"Why are you even still here, anyway?" Maria asked Henry. "It's pretty obvious that none of us are leaving, and I think you've done enough damage."

"I'm not leaving because John is coming with me." Henry's answer gained several confused looks, one of them coming from John, who had previously been standing shyly and remaining silent.

"What?" John gasped. "Why the hell would I go anywhere with you?"

"Don't take that tone with me, boy," Henry growled, making John look down at the floor. "I'm moving you to a school in South Carolina." This information received several shocked responses.

"What?"

"No!"

"You can't do that just because you don't like my friends," John exclaimed.

"Yes, I can."

"Well, you shouldn't."

"Why are you talking back to me?" John gulped and looked back down.

"Sorry, sir."

"We're leaving. Now." Henry turned to leave, but stopped when John didn't follow him. "Let's go, Jack." John shook his head.

"This isn't right," John said. "There is no good reason for me to leave this school."

"Why are you disobeying your father all of a sudden?"

"Because he's smart, probably," Alex replied instead of John.

"You'd be smart if you stopped talking to me like that," Henry warned.

"Leave him alone, dad." John stepped in front of Alexander protectively.

"Oh, that's why," Henry concluded, glancing between John and Alex. "You've been acting up because of _him_."

"Dad-"

"No, Jack. You know how this ends. With you being left alone, crying like a baby, because yet another person understood how much of a problem you are."

"Stop," John choked out.

"You know I'm right," Henry continued. "He'll leave you to rot, just like that other boy."

" _Stop_."

"Just like your mother."

" _Don't talk about her like that_!" John shouted, tears beginning to fall down his face. "She loved me for everything I was. She protected me and accepted me and _loved_ me." John was clearly having difficulty fighting off his father's words, regardless of how wrong they were.

"Then why did she abandon you?" Henry questioned.

John choked on a gasp and stared ahead. "I...I don't know..." He sobbed. Henry smirked and took a step towards the door. John went to follow him with his head low.

"You can't seriously be believing him right now." Alexander's voice pierced through the momentary sad silence. John froze and looked back at him. "Why would we, of all people, ever want to leave you? John, you're an amazing person."

"Oui, you are very funny," Lafayette said with Hercules nodding next to him.

"And you're smart," Angelica added.

"Most of the time," Maria mumbled with a smile.

"You're almost as kind as me," Eliza said, placing a hand on John's shoulder. John laughed slightly and wiped his eyes.

"You're parfait," Alexander said. "Perfect, remember? You're perfect as you are, and no one is allowed to tell you to change."

"Y-yeah." John composed himself and faced his father again. "Yeah. I don't have to be exactly like you want me to be. You can't just force your beliefs onto me, because that's not who I am." Henry rolled his eyes.

"You know that they're lying," Henry tried. "None of that is true and you know-"

"What is with you trying to make me feel like shit all the time?"

"You have one more chance to stop talking back to me, and to willingly leave with me, Jack-"

" _My name is John!_ " John screamed, silencing his father. He clenched his fists and took a shaky breath. "My name is John," he said quieter. "I've managed to stay alive for over 22 years, and you have never _once_ called me by my name." John started to take slow steps towards his father. "You have never _once_ respected me, or acted like a father. So until you do that, I will never do as you say again, because I am done with you being such an _asshole_!" John gasped and took a small step back after realizing what he had said. He didn't have any time to take anything back before his father reeled back and slapped the side of John's head. John stumbled back from the force of the impact as his friends all gasped behind him. Henry pulled John forward by his collar and raised his fist.

"Not while we're here." Hercules had stepped forward and grabbed Henry's arm, keeping it from moving any farther. Alexander ran up and pulled John out of Henry's grasp. The man now moved his free hand to fight Hercules, only to be pushed back by a fist hitting his face. The punch was so hard that Henry was torn out of Herc's grasp. "Woah..." Hercules whispered, turning to Lafayette, who lowered his arm, and was glaring at Henry with fire in his eyes.

" _Don't you dare hurt mon petite tortue ever again!_ " Laf shouted at Henry. Hercules stared at his boyfriend in astonishment and mouthed, 'I love you so much right now.' Just then, Henry righted himself and faced Lafayette with a vengeful look. Hercules stepped between the two as Henry raced forward.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Henry stopped in his tracks at the sound of Alex's voice. He looked at the boy darkly.

"What are you going to do to stop me?" Henry asked (in a Disney villain style). Alexander swallowed his fear and moved to the front of his little crowd of friends.

"Well, I could always call the police," Alexander said. Henry just blinked, and didn't notice Hercules and Lafayette backing away. "There's plenty of witnesses right here to charge you with several counts of battery. And if what I've heard is true, your other children could testify against you in counts of child abuse." Alexander smirked and decided he had hit a nerve when Henry's eyes widened. "And I _think_ you can be charged for invulnerable murder, but I'll need to check that." Alex felt a burst of excitement flow through him, pushing out the best he had in him. "And if any of that doesn't get through to you, how about the fact that you ran a red light and almost hit two people?"

"What?"

"Yeah, the night before I met you, an acquaintance of mine and I were almost run over. It wasn't until earlier today that I remembered. Unlucky for you that I recognized you, huh?"

"If you've had all this information, why don't you use it?" Henry asked. "Why not send me to jail right now?"

"I'm certainly considering it," Alex answered. "But I know that you have four kids that you still need to take care of, and I don't want them to have to lose both of their parents. And you'd better take care of them well, otherwise, I can guarantee that one of them will get rid of you themselves."

Henry was fuming, but he made no move towards any of them. Instead, he walked backwards to the door and said, "Fine. But for the record, he," the man pointed at John , who flinched, "is no longer worth enough to be my son."

"Just leave already," Alexander demanded. "And never come back." Henry did just that, slamming the door on his way out, and reminding Alexander of his own father's disappearance. He shook the memory out of his mind and went to lock the door for good measure. As he headed back to the squad, he noticed John shaking and holding back tears. "John...are you alright?" The boy shook his head. "What's wrong? I assumed you would be happy that he left."

"I...it's just..." John sobbed, but forced an ironic smile. "I guess I'm the newest member of the no parents club." John shrugged and let his smile drop.

"John..." Alex started, reaching out to hold John's hand. John pulled his arm away and ran to his room. Alexander sighed and looked up at Lafayette, who nodded knowingly.

"Do you think he'll be okay?" Eliza wondered.

"He will be fine," Laf told her.

"He'll just need time," Alexander agreed.

"How are you so sure?" Angelica asked. Alex and Lafayette glanced at each other and shrugged.

"Experience, I guess."

Later that night, just before Alexander went to bed, he went up to John's door and knocked on it gently.

"John?" Alex called out quietly. "Um...I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to bed. And to say good night. So...good night." He took a few hesitant steps backwards before turning around and going into his room, leaving the door open. He changed his clothes and got into bed, sitting up and thinking for a minute. Finally, he laid down, his back to John's room.

Alexander closed his eyes and sighed loud enough to mask the sound of a door clicking open. His thoughts drowned out the sound of footsteps, even as they grew closer.

But nothing Alexander did covered the feeling of his blanket being tugged and a soft voice saying, "Move over." Alex turned over fast, coming face to face with an exhausted looking John.

"John?" Alexander whispered, halfway astonished. In response, John just looked at him expectantly and pulled the blanket harder. "Alright, alright," Alex laughed as he moved to the side of his bed. John slid in next to him and pulled the blanket over both of them. "So..." Alex said after a moment of the two of them just staring into each other's eyes.

"So..." John repeated.

"Are you okay?" Alexander asked.

"How okay do you think I am?"

"Touché." Alex giggled quietly, earning a fleeting smile from the other boy. John shifted closer to Alexander and took a deep breath.

"Thank you," John muttered.

"You don't need to thank me for helping you stand up to your-to that asshole," Alex told John. "I like fighting jerks, remember? I would have done that even if you weren't my boyfriend."

" _That's_ what I'm thanking you for, Alex," John corrected.

"What?"

"Thank you for still being my boyfriend," John said. "Thanks for sticking with me though all this, even when I was being the worst to you."

"Well, you're welcome, but what did you ever do wrong?" Alex wondered.

"Are you kidding me?" John gasped. "What _didn't_ I do wrong? I completely avoided you all the time, for one. And when you had that nightmare, I acted like I didn't care. I just left you alone, and I felt so bad. Then, you tried to kiss me but I pulled away like a-" John froze when Alexander kissed him. It only lasted a moment, but it held enough love for an entire year.

When their lips separated, Alex mumbled, "I didn't care about how you were acting then, because I knew you were scared."

There was a moment of silence before John said, "You know, I started to think that he might be right about you leaving me. But...you snapped me out of it, I guess."

"That's good, because I'm not leaving." Alex smiled through the hair falling onto his face. "I love you, so much, John."

"I love you, too, Alexander." John pulled Alex closer to himself, and brushed the dark locks out of the smaller boy's eyes.

"I love you more."

"What?" John laughed slightly. "No you don't."

"Uh, yes, I do."

"Uh, no, you don't. I love you _way_ more." Alexander started laughing. "What's so funny?"

"It's just," Alexander took a moment to compose himself. "We sound like a newly married couple."

"That would be nice," John hummed.

"Wh-what?" John answered with a smile and a kiss that lasted long enough to lull them both to sleep.

 **Hey! Please read this!**

 **First of all...writers block is a bitch, huh?**

 **Second of all, how would you feel if I wrote another story? This one is** ** _not_** **done yet, by any means, but I have this weird idea for a spy/action movie type of story thing...A Hamilton AU of course. I think it would be cool and you might like it, but what do I know? If you would want to see it, please just comment a quick 'yes' and I'll post a 'pilot episode' (I guess that's what I'll call it?)**

 **Anyway...this chapter kinda sucked and I'm tired. Maya out!**


	53. Chapter 53

**I think we all needed this chapter.**

Winter break came just a few days later, its cold winds carrying people away for the season. Maria and Hercules both stayed with their families out of state, and Lafayette left to stay with his grandmother in France. The sisters didn't need to leave, since they lived so close to the college anyway. John and Alexander didn't have anywhere else to go, so they stayed in their dorm, which was fine by them.

The first day off of school, John woke up to Alexander jumping on the bed and shaking him.

"Wha-?" John's eyes opened slowly, then landed on Alex's excited face. "What's going on- _ah!_ " Alex pulled John up off the bed, then dragged him to the living room, all the while grinning like crazy.

"John, look, it's snowing!" Alexander squealed like a toddler and pointed out the window. John peered outside and saw white flakes falling softly on the already snow-covered ground. John turned to see Alex's face plastered on the glass, his eyes wide with wonder.

"Have you never seen snow before?" John laughed. Alex simply shook his head. "Well then, get your coat." John turned around and began to walk away.

"What? Why?" Alexander asked.

"We're going outside, duh." John smiled warmly as Alexander gasped and ran to get his things.

As soon as they stepped foot outside, Alex flopped onto the ground, and lay on his back giggling. John copied his actions, then moved to make a snow angel. When he stood, he watched Alexander make a snow angel, stand, slip on the ice, and fall back down. John laughed at him, gaining a glare. Suddenly, John was on the ground, with snow in his ear, and a smug Alexander next to him.

"That's what you get for laughing at me," Alex said, giving John a kiss. They rose together, then looked back at their snow angels. John's looked fine, whereas Alex's was just a mess of snow. "Aw, that's not fair," Alexander whined. "Yours is actually an angel."

"And yours looks like your brain shattered while you were making it," John snickered.

"Shut up." Alex grinned, pushed John's shoulder, and walked away.

Just a few minutes later, John stood off to the side as Alexander built a snow fort "Because I want to; shut up". John watched him play in the snow "like a four year old" ("I said, shut up!"), while smiling dopily at the boy he had fallen completely in love with.

 _Fine, you're right. I am_ so _in love with him._

 **I know I'm right. Oh, and you should probably duck.**

 _What?_

John almost fell over as a result of a snowball hitting him square in the face. Alexander's screams of laughter soon mixed with those of fear as John picked up a handful of snow and chased after him.

Their snowball fight lasted about five minutes, ending when John pinned Alexander to the ground and hovered over him.

"Why," John grumbled, out of breath, "is your aim so good?" Alex snorted.

"Why is your aim so bad?" Alex retorted. John just stared down at him, at the snowflakes in his hair reflecting the sunlight; at the never-diminishing fire in his eyes doing the same; at the way he breathed and blinked and smiled and spoke... "Are you just going to keep staring at me in awe, or are you going to kiss me?" John snapped back into focus, and his lips turned up slightly, before coming to meet Alexander's. It was only when his fingers went as numb as his brain did John pull away.

"I love you, Alexander," John whispered.

"I love you, too, John." Alexander gazed lovingly up at the other boy for a moment, before bluntly saying, "But I love being warm more, so we should go back inside." John laughed and helped Alex up, then held him close as they went back to their dorm.

After they took hot showers, and changed into dry clothes, Alex and John decided to watch movies and just relax. Alexander still wanted to have fun, so he built a small pillow fort for them to sit in. John curled up next to him, setting bowls of mac-n-cheese and mugs of hot chocolate in front of them. Alex turned on some Disney movie, but John didn't pay attention to the television. Instead, he watched Alexander smile and widen his eyes in excitement. John listened to Alexander laugh and quietly hum along to the songs in the movie.

"Can you sing?" John finally asked. Alex looked at him in surprise, having not heard anything from him in a while.

"A little, I guess..." Alex started to blush fiercely. "But I can rap really well."

"I'd love to hear you rap sometime," John grinned.

"Can _you_ sing?" John nodded and listed to the last line of a song in the movie, then repeated it.

" _At least out loud, I won't say I'm in love~_ "

"How ironic. But, _really_ good. _Damn_." Alex turned down the volume on the television, and moved closer to John, laying on his lap. "Sing something else for me, please?" John thought for a moment as he started running his hands through Alex's hair.

" _I'd catch a grenade for ya...Throw my_ -"

"Not that one."

"Okay, um..." John sighed and wracked his brain for any good songs to sing. In the end, he chose a song he'd known all his life. Words flowed from his mouth on a river of soothing notes. Memories and emotions came with them, but only John could see and feel them.

" _Do you hear the birds all singing?_

 _Do they sing of joy or remorse?_

 _Do they sing of passion or losing love?_

 _Do they sing 'cause they've flown off course?_

 _I know your days seem darker, now_

 _Than the sky in which stars reside_

 _But your days are sure to be brighter in-_

 _Your dreams, when you're asleep at night..._ "

"What was that?" Alexander wondered when John had finished.

"It's a lullaby my mom would sing to me and my siblings," John answered. "That's just part of it, though."

"Oh." Alex was silent for a moment, then asked, "Can you sing it again? The whole song this time?" John took a deep breath and sang again, until Alexander fell asleep. As he looked down at the boy laying in front of him, John sighed in pure joy, an emotion he was now very grateful to feel.

 **That lullaby (that I literally just wrote) is what Eleanor sang to her kids every night to help them ignore the pain that Henry put them through. John sang it to his siblings (and himself) every night after his mother died. Just thought I'd put that in.**

 **It also was accidentally ever-so-slightly inspired by Kindergarten Boyfriend from Heathers...oops...**

 **Also, bonus points if you know what movie they watched!**


	54. Chapter 54

**Christmas in July!**

John could barely remember his last "merry" Christmas, and Alexander never had the chance to celebrate it in the first place. So, when Eliza invited the boys to spend the holiday with her family, they excitedly accepted. Then, they realized that they had to give presents to the sisters.

Finding the right gifts was easy, but wrapping them became difficult. Mainly because it quickly turned into a competition.

"Wow..." John whistled. The two had been sitting in Alexander's room while they wrapped the presents, and Alex had just finished his first one. "Who taught you how to wrap like that?" Alex glanced up, blushed, and stared down at the floor.

"My boss did," Alexander answered. "It was just part of my job." John nodded, remembering that part of Alex's life story.

"I bet my mom taught me better than your boss." Alexander looked up quickly at the sound of a challenge.

"First person to finish wrapping their present wins."

"You're on."

The next few minutes involved more sabotage than actually wrapping presents. Alexander would keep tearing the paper John was using, while John would keep hiding the tape behind him. In the end, Alexander won by just a few seconds, dramatically dropping the gift to the ground.

"Ha! I win!" Alexander cheered.

"Dammit..." John sighed. "What do I get for losing?" Alexander just laughed maniacally. "Oh no..."

The next day, though very upset with his current situation, John drove himself and Alex to the Schuyler residence. When they got there, Alexander bounded to the door and rang the bell. John, however, had to carry all three presents, while also struggling to keep a clear line of vision.

About an hour before, Alex had run up to John with a pile of bows and ribbons in his arms, and a terrifying glint in his eyes.

"Remember when you lost that little present wrapping competition yesterday?" John nodded suspiciously at the question. "Well, this is your punishment, my sweet." John had no clue what his boyfriend was entailing, until he had reached up and grabbed some of John's hair.

So now, John's hair was just a mess of color, and probably more fabric than actual hair.

John got to the door just as Eliza opened it. She smiled wide at Alexander, opened her mouth to greet them, then froze after seeing John.

"Um...I'm scared to ask what happened," Eliza said, stifling a laugh.

"It's not important," John responded, then glared at Alexander, who smiled innocently. "And it's not lasting all day."

"Okay then...come in, I guess." Eliza held the door open as the boys walked inside. "Angelica, Peggy, and my parents are in the living room. I'll take the presents to the tree in the front room." She took the gifts and walked away after pointing down the hall.

The boys walked towards where Eliza had gestured to, John muttering, "I can't believe I have to meet the Schuylers like this."

"I don't see anything wrong with it." Alexander grinned.

"I hate you forever."

"That's fine with me. Just means that you're not getting any 'special presents' tonight." Alex winked and hurried into the next room, leaving John wheezing in the hall for a moment.

Angelica was the first to see John when he walked into the living room. She called out, "Oh, there you ar- _oh my God what happened to you?_ " John's face heated up, and he tried to ignore Peggy's squeals of laughter.

"I'm sorry, John," Alexander said at John's embarrassment, though he was desperately trying to cover a smile. John just rolled his eyes.

"Seriously, what happened?" Angelica asked again.

"I lost a stupid competition," John answered.

"I think you meant to say that I won a competition." Alexander smirked and ruffled John's hair.

"I'm assuming these two are the John and Alexander we've heard so much about?" A woman who had been sitting silently across the room spoke up. **I'm about to make up some descriptions, okay?** Her dark skin, hair, and eyes were clearly where Angelica had gotten her looks. The man sitting next to her looked like a male version of Eliza, especially considering his kind smile.

"You've heard about us?" Alex asked pridefully.

"Mom, please don't embarrass them anymore," Eliza pleaded. She walked into the room and stood next to the boys.

"I'm not embarrassed-" John elbowed Alexander before he could finish his statement.

"You shouldn't be." The woman continued, "The girls make bets and prank each other all the time. Usually with outcomes like this."

"Although," the man added, "we had to stop them from messing with each other for a while after Angie and Betsy cut Rita's hair."

"Yeah, that sucked," Peggy cried.

"It was 14 years ago; get over it." Angelica snapped. This whole time, Alex and John held back giggles as their gaze whipped between the girls.

"John, Alexander," Eliza sighed, "these are our parents. Philip and Catharine Schuyler." The (actual) adults stood to shake the boys' hands.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Alexander said. John just nodded in agreement.

The seven of them sat and chatted for a while, until, at about 6:00, a young woman in black and white walked into the room, and sheepishly said, "Supper is ready."

"Thank you, Sally," Catharine replied. "You may go home now." The other girl nodded curtly and hurried away.

"Who was that?" Alexander muttered as he followed the Schuylers to their dining room.

"A maid," John answered.

"How did you know that?"

"I used to be just as rich, remember?"

"Right." Alex turned his head down awkwardly.

The dining table was covered in a dozen different foods, each beautifully garnished and plated. Alexander was astonished by the sight before him, and John just laughed at him as he sat next to Peggy. Once everyone was situated, Catharine said grace, and Alex ate more food than he ever had in his life. At one point, Peggy shot a spoonful of peas across the table at Angelica, and when Philip father reprimanded her, a blueberry bounced off his nose. Everyone turned to Eliza, who's plate was covered with the fruity projectiles, and who gave everyone a dark smirk.

"I never thought I'd live to the day where I was afraid of Eliza," John muttered.

"You should always be afraid of Eliza," Angelica told him. Eliza maniacally laughed, but the sound was so naturally light and sweet that everyone just started giggling with her.

After dinner, they all made their way to the front room, and sat in a circle while they unwrapped their presents. John opened his first, sitting on the floor, while Alexander was on the couch above him, taking the ribbons out of his hair.

When John saw what the sisters had gotten him, a hangover cure cookbook, he gasped and whined, "I don't get drunk that often!"

"We had to drag your almost passed out body out of the bar on your birthday," Eliza mentioned.

"And after Herc's last football game," Angelica added.

"But..." John stuttered. "Alex, back me up here."

"Uh, no," Alexander said, pulling John's hair into a ponytail, and tying it up with red and green ribbons. "There is a full case of beer in our dorm at all times, yet you casually drink at least four bottles a week." Alex neatly tied the ribbons into a bow, and kissed John on the head.

"Well...maybe...shut up." John blushed, but moved to sit next to his boyfriend, and held him close.

The rest of the gifts were opened without arguments (well, except for the gift that Maria had left for Peggy: a bunch of Stephen King novels. Angelica had asked, "Since when do you read those?" Peggy responded with, "Since when do you care?"). The girls got Alexander a fancy pen with his name engraved in the side, and John gave him a too-big-to-be-good coffee mug that said "Best BF" on it. The boys gave Angelica and Peggy shirts that read "How About, No?" and "The Only Straight I am is a Straight Up Bitch", respectively. Eliza was given a bracelet with charms on it, each representing a different member of the squad.

John and Alexander stayed for a while longer, but decided to leave at 10:00, because Alexander almost fell asleep.

When they got back to their dorm, Alexander yawned, and sighed, "Christmas number one; check."

"Christmas number one?" John inquired.

"Well, yeah." Alex said shyly, "I mean, I assume we'll be spending more than one Christmas together, right?" John smiled softly and stepped closer.

"Of course we will. I promise." Alexander kissed John gently, grinning into the other boy's lips.

"Do you forgive me for the hair thing?" John squinted and shook his head, looking away in an attempt to seem stern. However, Alex jumped into his line of vision with wide puppy-eyes, and John couldn't help but submit.

"Fine," John caved, letting himself smile. "I love you again." He pulled Alex closer for another kiss, then said, "Can I have one of those 'special presents' now?"

"I don't know," Alexander purred and smirked seductively. "I'm pretty tired." He spun around and hurried to his room, leaving John frustrated in several different ways.

"Alexander, I hate you again!" John just got giggles in response as he followed his boyfriend, and shut the bedroom door loudly behind him.

 **Hey! Look who finally wrote a chapter!**

 **So, if you haven't seen yet, I wrote that spy story thing. It's called The Union. I probably tried the hardest on that than I have at anything else in my life for some reason. Check it out if you want to. If you don't want to...that's fine; its your choice.**

 **Bye!**

 ** _~Sincerely, Me_**


	55. Chapter 55

**Aaahh I don't know what I'm doing anymore so you'll have to deal with extremely subpar chapters for a while. Also my phone crapped out and I had to get a new one and now** **I have none of my notes for anything. AAAAHH.**

 **Here we go...**

December 31st. The last day of the year. Also known as New Year's Eve. Also known as the day that everyone got drunk. Except for Alexander Hamilton, of course, because he is a responsible 19 year old. At least, he tried to be.

In the late afternoon, John went to the store. When Alex offered to come with, John denied him, saying he was getting a surprise. While he was out (at specifically 6 in the evening), the group chat suddenly exploded.

 **BAGUETTE** : BONNE ANNÉE!

 **BAGUETTE** : VOUS NE CROIREZ PAS COMBIEN DE CHAMPAGNE J'A JUSTE BU

 **BAGUETTE** : AAAAAAHAHAHAAAA!

 **BAGUETTE** : JE SUIS LE ROI DU MONDE!

 **drunkturtle** : umm...you ok Laf?

 **BestSis** : Alex? Translation?

 **ImmigrantBastard** : Do you want it in all caps?

 **BossB*tch** : why not

 **ImmigrantBastard** : Okay, here: HAPPY NEW YEAR! YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH CHAMPAGNE I JUST DRANK (crazed laughter) I AM THE KING OF THE WORLD!

 **BestSis** : ahaaa he's wasted

 **ImmigrantBastard** : Yup.

 **drunkturtle** : yup

 **MFDemiGOD** : yo wazzup

 **BAGUETTE** : HERCULEEEEEEESSSSSSSS OÙ ÉTAIS-TU?

 **ImmigrantBastard** : He asked where you were.

 **MFDemiGOD** : I've been getting drunk with my sister

 **PEGPEG** : it's 6 in the afternoon

 **MFDemiGOD** : nah I'm in Ireland I'm only an hour behind Gil

 **BAGUETTE** : YAAAAAAAAAY

 **ImmigrantBastard** : So, Laf is drinking Champagne from France, and Hercules is drinking beer from Ireland, I'm assuming?

 **BAGUETTE** : OUI

 **MFDemiGOD** : aaand whiskey

 **ImmigrantBastard** : Am I the only one who sees a problem with them drinking the pure, original versions of these drinks?

 **drunkturtle** : yeah they're so lucky

 **CinnamonRolls** : Alex is right. I think there might be a small problem with that.

 **BAGUETTE** : VA TE FAIRE VOIR

 **ImmigrantBastard** : He said "screw you"

 **CinnamonRolls** : Excuse me?

 **ImmigrantBastard** : Just ignore him.

Alexander rolled his eyes and laughed as the front door opened. John walked in with a bag in each hand, and his phone in his mouth. Alex ran up to him, took his phone, and flicked his head.

"Ow," John yelped. "What was that for?"

"Considering how long ago your first and last texts were, and how long it takes you to drive back from the store, you were being an idiot and texting while you were driving," Alex explained.

"How do you know I was driving?"

"You're too lazy to carry two bags worth of...whatever you got all the way back here."

"Alright, you caught me." John set the bags on the table, and threw his hands up in defense.

"John, that's dangerous," Alexander cried. "You could have died. You can't do that." **Seriously guys don't.**

"Well, that's not the only bad decision I'm making tonight." John reached into one of the bags, pulling out a bottle of sparkling white wine. Alex sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Is that champagne?"

"No. It's sparkling white wine," John smiled. "And we're drinking it tonight."

"We?" Alexander questioned. "John, I'm 19."

"You'll be 20 in, like, a week."

"That still isn't the drinking age, John."

"Everyone drinks at least once before they're 21. Haven't you ever been to a high school party?" Alex blinked.

"John, look me in the eyes and ask me that again."

"Right. I forgot you were a nerd," John mumbled.

"That isn't a difficult thing to remember."

"Please just try some later," John said.

"No," said Alexander.

" _Try it._ "

"No," said Alexander, quieter this time.

And so, later that night, Alex was holding a glass of wine. Just an hour before midnight, John had poured their glasses, and handed one to Alexander with a smirk.

"Have fun," John winked, taking a sip of his own drink.

"Just one sip?" Alex asked, nervous.

"Just one." John's voice was patient, and his smile calmed Alex down.

"Fine." Alexander took a deep breath, lifted the glass to his lips, and took a small sip. The liquid burned and bubbled in his throat and stomach. "Ahh...whyyy?" Alex coughed.

"I know, I know," John shushed, reaching over to take the drink away. Alex turned to keep the glass from John.

"No, I can take it," Alex snarled.

"Are you sure?" John worried. "You don't have to-"

"I got this." Alexander forced down another sip.

"You seriously need to stop trying to prove yourself to everyone. Especially to me." John wrapped his arm around Alex's waist, and kissed him on the cheek.

"I know..." Alex whispered.

The next thing he knew, his glass was empty, and his thoughts were melting together. When John noticed Alexander's drooping eyelids, he took the glass away, and led Alex to the couch. Alex collapsed into his boyfriend's side, laughing softly.

"I feel like I shouldn't have let you drink all that," John muttered.

"Shh-shut up," Alex snickered, lightly slapping John's arm. "I do what I want." His voice began to slur, and it mixed with...

"Do you have an accent?" John wondered at the new lilts and drops in Alex's voice.

"I'm not from-" Alex hiccuped, then continued by singing, "Ameerricaaa."

"That's true."

"Joooohnn..."

"Yes?"

"I looove youuuu."

"I love you, too." Alexander smiled sweetly, nuzzling further into John's chest. They were quiet for a moment.

"Joooooooohnnnn..."

"Yeah?"

"Your hair is soft." Alex began gently petting John's head.

"What have I done?" John groaned jokingly.

"You can't g'wan run back to the past, hon." Alexander giggled, snorted, then giggled even more. "That's what New Year's reminds ev-ry-one."

"I guess so." Alex suddenly stopped laughing, pulled out and unlocked his phone, then stared at it for a while, as if he had forgotten why he had taken it out. "What're you doing, Alex?"

Alexander begin whispering, "Dix, neuf, huit, sept..."

"Are you talking in French again?"

"Six, cinq, quatre..." When John finally realized his boyfriend was counting, Alex had already finished with, "Trois, duex, un." Catching John off guard, Alexander pushed him against the back of the couch, and kissed him fiercely. When he pulled away, leaving John breathless, Alex mumbled, "Happy New Year." John blinked, then grinned and gave Alex another New Year's kiss.

"Happy New Year."

 **Happy extremely belated New Year! My uncle calls New Year's Eve "The Day Everyone Gets Drunk". So now you have this. Also I don't know if Hercules actually had a sister, but I have a headcanon that he does, and that she's a badass. Also, something cute: Hercules is the only one who says "Gil"; everyone else says "Laf" or "Lafayette".**

 **Did anyone get my History of Japan reference? *sigh*...I need to get off the internet...**


	56. Chapter 56

_All he knew was that he was running. He was short of breath, and his whole body was sore, but he was running._

 _And he was losing ground._

 _The footsteps grew louder behind him as he ducked into a vacant building. His hooded pursuer followed him in, and blocked the only entrance._

 _"Alexander~" The voice echoed through his head, and he shivered because of it._

 _"Stay away from me!" Alexander begged. He took a step back, wincing as his already bruised side hit a table._

 _"Alexander, why are you always running from me?" The voice asked innocently. Alex glared at them._

 _"Because all you ever do is hurt us, you asshole!"_

 _"Tsk, tsk, Alexander," the person sighed. "You know what happens when you say things like that to me." Alexander gulped._

 _"Please...we can't take it anymore. Just stop hurting us like this," Alexander pleaded. "We don't want to be around you. Let us go."_

 _The voice laughed darkly, the noise reverberating against the walls and throughout Alex's skull._

 _"Be careful what you wish for..." The person reached into the pockets of their jacket and pulled out two small guns. Panic flared in Alexander's chest. "We'll duel," they explained, sliding one of the weapons_ _across the floor towards Alexander. "No matter who wins, you won't have to see me again."_

 _"But, what about-"_

 _"This is just between us." Alex took a deep, shaky breath, then hesitantly picked up the gun. "This is the only way to get rid of me, Alexander."  
_

 _"Fine," Alex nodded. "Just start counting. We fire at 10."_

 _"Of course," the person smirked. "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven-"_

 _Bang_.

"Oh, my God, Alex!" Alexander's eyes shot open as he gasped for air. John was suddenly right next to him, lifting him into a sitting position on the floor.

 _When did I get on the floor?_

"Alex!" Alexander blinked when he realized that John had been calling his name.

"Huh?"

"Did you hit your head? Are you hurt?"

"What?" Alex asked, still reeling.

"You fell out of the bed," John told him. "You're completely out of it right now."

"Oh...sorry...I..." Alex shook his head. "I'm fine."

"What happened?"

"I...I don't know..." All at once, a wave a pain washed over Alexander. His head felt like it was splitting in half, and his stomach churned like a whirlpool. He ran to the bathroom to let his stomach empty, groaning in anguish when it did.

"Oh, the hangover set in, didn't it?" John wondered as he walked up behind Alex.

"I'm dying," Alex moaned in response.

"Aren't we all?"

* * *

About a week later, winter break began to come to a close. The squad decided to meet up at the cafe to catch up once everyone was back in town. Alex, John, and the sisters waited for their friends outside the restaurant for while, until they finally arrived. Maria was the first to come back, giving everyone hugs, and Peggy a kiss on the cheek.

"How was Virginia?" Peggy asked.

"Boring," Maria said, sticking her tongue out.

Hercules showed up next, greeting everyone with a smile. However, his face fell slightly after looking around.

"Gil isn't here yet?" Hercules wondered. Everyone shook their heads.

"While we wait for him, why don't you tell us why you went to Ireland?" Eliza suggested to lighten the mood.

"It's a family tradition," Hercules answered. "It started with this tailor guy from the 1700's..." Hercules droned on for an incredibly unnecessary amount of time, and John was getting bored. Luckily for him, as Hercules was talking, he heard footsteps rapidly approaching. "And then, since he was Irish-"

" _HERCULEEEEEEEES!_ " Lafayette hit Hercules with so much force that they were sent into a spinning hug, with Laf being lifted into the air. They kissed as he was lowered back down. They separated when John whistled at them. "Tu me manquais," Lafayette said to Hercules quietly, just getting a look of confusion in response. Laf rolled his eyes, and kissed his boyfriend again. "I missed you, amour."

"Oh," Hercules smiled. "I missed you, too." Once everyone was reunited, they went into the cafe, and sat at their usual table. After a few minutes of talking, they got onto the topic of Christmas presents. "We still need to exchange our Christmas presents," Hercules reminded Lafayette.

"What are you talking about?" Lafayette asked. "I already gave you a gift." Hercules blinked.

"No you didn't."

"Hercules..." Laf sighed, looking at his boyfriend as if he was an idiot. "I gave you a gift the day before I left, remember?"

"No, all we did was hang out that day, right?" Herc's expression contorted into one of concentration. Lafayette counted down on his fingers. _3, 2, 1..._ "Oh, my _God_!" Hercules' face flushed a dark crimson as Lafayette began laughing.

"What just...?" Eliza trailed off as the rest of the group laughed as well. "Can someone tell me what's so funny?"

" _No!_ " Everyone yelled in unison.

"Never let your precious soul be tainted," Angelica said through giggles. Eventually, they calmed down enough to continue their conversation like normal, but they were interrupted before they could.

"Gil!"

Lafayette turned at the voice, gasping in surprise, "Thomas!" Laf stood and embraced his cousin, shocking his friends by being so happy to see their enemy. "Comment ça va?"

"Bien," Thomas replied. "Comment eat la Grand-mère?"

"Elle va bien. Je veux Hercules la rencontre l'année prochaine."

"Si les deux d'entre vous restent ensemble..."

"Pardon?"

"Votre durée de relation? Je n'y parierais pas." Lafayette raised an eyebrow.

"Je doute James et toi durera. Trouvez ça juste?" Thomas frowned.

"Fine, be like that." Thomas turned to the rest of the squad, bowed, and grumbled, "I hope you had a happy holiday...or...whatever the fuck..." He walked away, leaving most people confused.

"Um...what was that?" Maria wondered..

"Unimportant." Lafayette waved her off, glancing at Hercules with a smile.

"You know what is important?" Alex cut in.

"What?" Everyone asked.

"School starts soon."

" _Noooo_!"

 **French translated conversation:**

 **"How are you?'**

 **"Good. How is Grandmother?"**

 **"She is well. I want Hercules to meet her next year."**

 **"If you two stay together..."**

 **"Excuse me?"  
**

 **"Your relationship lasting? I wouldn't bet on it."**

 **"I doubt you and James will last. Is that fair?"**

 **Hey!** **While you're down here, I must ask for your help once again. I can't chose what the next chapter should be about, so you get to vote! The chapter will be about one of these:**

 **1: Eliza and Angelica hanging out**

 **2: Peggy and Maria on a date**

 **3: Thomas and James doing...something. I don't know what yet, but...it'll be something**

 **Just say 1, 2, or 3, and the majority will be the next chapter. Also, if you have any ideas on what should happen in one of these chapters, feel free to suggest them; they could be added in!**

 **Thank you for reading and being patient! I love you all! Byeeeee!**


	57. Chapter 57

**Okay, the almost unanimous vote was 3 (Thomas and James), so...*drumroll*...**

Thomas didn't mind mornings. He didn't like them, per se, but he wasn't too upset when another day began.

Except for today. He _dreaded_ today.

The first day of school after winter break was the day he and James decided to stop hiding their relationship. Of course, the annoying Hamilton gang already knew, and many others thought they were together for the past year and a half, but still...

Thomas had plenty of secrets that he would bring to the grave. Including the fact that every relationship he was ever in absolutely _sucked_. In public, he and his partner looked happy together. In private, however, none of his relationships involved communication or joy or actual love. But with James, his life was suddenly flipped. When they were around other people, they acted like "just friends", like they were for so long. But, by themselves, every moment was _heaven_ (and not just during the night). Thomas was in a constant state of content, and everything was wonderful.

Except for today. Today was horrible. Did he mention that he hated today? Because that should probably be mentioned.

"Thomas, babe, calm down." James' voice broke into Thomas' mind.

"I am perfectly calm, Jemmy," Thomas declared.

"You've been walking in circles all morning," James argued. He was right. Thomas was surprised he hadn't dug a trench into the floor with the amount of pacing he had done.

"I'm sorry if I'm terrified," Thomas grumbled.

"Why are you terrified?"

"Just...if people know about us...I don't know what they'll do."

"They won't do anything."

"You don't know that!" James sighed in frustration.

"Let's just go to class, okay?" James suggested. "We can figure this out when we get there."

Thomas whined like a hurt puppy, but grumpily said, "Fine."

As they walked to class, Thomas' stomach slowly but surely filled with butterflies. And not the giddy, "I like you a lot" butterflies, oh no. These butterflies had razor-sharp wings and left a trail of fire behind them as they flew into Thomas' insides at 80 miles an hour. They got to the classroom, and Thomas froze for a moment after seeing all his classmates. All of which were about to know his secret.

"Jemmy..." Thomas whispered. "Do we have to do this?"

"Not necessarily," James answered, taking a seat. "But I feel like we should, right?" Thomas whined again.

Throughout the first half of class, Thomas couldn't focus on anything. His body shook, and his thoughts went wild, and Hamilton was blocking his view anyway-

 _Hamilton_.

As soon as Mr. Washington set the class loose to work, Thomas silently went up to Alexander, and knelt next to his desk.

"Oh, God...what now?" Alexander mumbled before turning to Thomas. "What do you want, Jefferson?"

"I need some advice," Thomas said.

"If it's on how to be an ass, you don't need my help."

"I'm being serious, Hamilton." Alex rolled his eyes.

"Fine. What?"

"How do I...let it be known...that James and I are a thing?" Alexander blinked.

"What?"

"You and your friends are so casual about being together in public, but...how...?" Alexander put down his pencil, and fought against a smile.

"Um...I don't know. We just act like ourselves, I guess. Just do that."

"I can't do that!"

"Well, then, you're all out of luck." Thomas groaned, and banged his head on Alexander's desk.

"I'm going to die..."

"Why are you of all people scared of something like this?" Alex wondered.

"People might make fun of me," Thomas mumbled. "Or, at the very least, they won't be as scared of me anymore, and that's a pretty big problem, too."

"Literally everyone is afraid of you; no one's going to try to bully a bully."

"Not unless they have something to bully me for," Thomas testified. "If they see that I, Thomas Jefferson, am weak to love, they'll tear me to shreds."

"First of all, I can guarantee that no one will care or be brave enough to even try to do anything to you." Thomas opened his mouth to argue, but Alexander cut him off. "Second of all, since when is love a weakness? If anything, love is a strength. It motivates instead of holding people back. It makes you happy in the darkest of times. It's the little voice in the back of your mind that keeps you going, when all you want to do is close your eyes and wait for the end." Alexander's eyes filled with mirth, and Thomas could tell he wasn't just saying things; his speech was taken straight from experience.

"You're right, sadly." Thomas couldn't help but grin. "Yet, this was of no help, and I have once again wasted my time talking to you." Thomas stood, and went back to his seat next to James.

"What did he say?" James asked, not looking up from his book.

"To 'be ourselves'," Thomas answered. "What kind of advice is that?"

"You're overthinking this."

"No I'm not," Thomas scoffed. "You're under thinking this."

"I don't think that's a thing."

"Stop being right all the time." Soon after, the class was dismissed, and Thomas was the first to the door, with James right behind him. "Oh, darn, Jemmy," Thomas said with false unhappiness. "Looks like it's too late to-" James gently turned Thomas' head, and kissed him. They were in such a position where if anyone tried to leave the room, they would have to get past the two lovebirds, therefore, everyone could see them. James finally pulled away when someone (unmistakably Hamilton) whistled at them.

"There, we did it," James smirked. Thomas didn't respond. The entire class was silent for a minute, staring at them. For once, Thomas shied away from the crowd. Then, he heard the whispers. The rumors and hateful words.

"Finally. It took them long enough."

"See, I told you they were a thing."

 _Wait...what did they say?_

Suddenly, Thomas wasn't very scared anymore.

Hamilton was the first to push past them, mumbling, "I told you so." It took Thomas a moment to get over his initial shock before he could say anything in return.

"Shut up, Hamilton!"


	58. Chapter 58

February 14th. Valentine's Day. Everyone knows what that means. Chocolate, teddy bears, fancy dinners, movie dates, and sparkly, frilly, heart-shaped cards.

February 13th. The day before Valentine's day. Also known as "the day lazy people finally plan their Valentine's Day".

Alexander found out, much too late, that John was a lazy person.

"John, what are we doing tomorrow?" Alexander asked on the 13th.

"Going to school," John answered while lying on the couch, eating ramen.

"Do you even know what tomorrow is?"

"Thursday?"

"Try Valentine's Day." John froze with a mouthful of noodles.

"Oh." John shrugged. "Do we _have_ to do something tomorrow?"

"No..."

"But you _want_ to do something."

"Yes." John stood and walked over to his boyfriend, holding him in a hug.

"What should we do?"

"I don't know."

"Um...do you want to see a movie?" Alex hummed an agreement.

"As long as we can go out for ice cream afterwards."

"But, it's still winter-"

"Ice cream!"

"Okay, okay," John laughed. They stood in each other's embrace for a moment, Alex resting his head on John's chest. "You know, we don't _have_ to do anything special. We can just...be together."

"I know...but...I don't know. It's just one of those things that feels like people have to do."

"Since when do you care about what people think is right?"

"I don't know..." Alex kissed John tiredly, then pulled away quickly, sticking his tongue out.

"What?"

"You taste like ramen," Alex snickered.

"Cool." They laughed, and stayed up for as long as they could, until Alexander nearly passed out from exhaustion.

* * *

 _"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven-"_

 _Bang._

 _He wasn't a cheater. He didn't do things like this._

 _But this person deserved it._

 _Alexander had shot them in the side, and they dropped their weapon immediately._

 _"You little bastard!" They screamed._

 _"Leave us alone," Alexander demanded. "I won't kill you if you just leave us alone." His enemy smirked._

 _"We both know what's really going to happen if you don't get rid of me, Alexander." They took a step forward, holding their bleeding side. "And if you do kill me, there will just be other people that hurt you. No one will love you."_

 _"You're wrong," Alex argued._

 _"Oh, really? And who on Earth could possibly love someone like you?"_

 _Right on cue, the doors slammed open, and the silhouette standing there was illuminated by a flash of lightning._

 _"John? What are you doing here?"_

Alexander woke up to a crash of thunder. He shot up in bed, hearing rain pound against the window. He reached over and shook John awake before his panic fully set in.

"Wh-What?" John yawned, barely opening his eyes to check the time. "Alex, it isn't even five in the morning-" Lightning lit up the room, making Alex flinch and shut his eyes. "Oh." John pulled Alexander into a tight hug, and Alex instantly held onto him like a lifeline. For two and a half hours, John kept Alexander close to him, whispering and singing calming things until the rain passed. When it did, Alex still refused to separate from John for another twenty minutes.

"Hey, John," Alexander said quietly once they had gotten up and ready. "You...you love me, right?" John turned to him in concern. Before he could answer, Alex continued, "And don't just answer because it's Valentine's Day or because you're my boyfriend." John walked up to him, hugging him and kissing his cheek.

"Alex, where is this coming from?" John asked. Alex avoided his gaze and shrugged. "I love you more than anything, Alexander. You should know this." Alex finally looked at John, searching his expression for any hint of a lie.

"...Okay..."

"Alex, what's wrong?"

"I don't know..." Alexander fibbed. "I just...I don't think I want to do anything special today."

"Um...alright. we can just hang out, if you want," John suggested. Alex nodded. "Okay, we'll just do that later. I have to go to class, though, so call me if you need anything. If it rains again, I'll get to you as fast as I can." Alex just nodded again. John kissed him a final, passionate time before he left.

* * *

John got back to the dorm later than usual, making Alexander panic, of course. When he did return, he found Alex pacing between the rooms.

"Where were you?" Alex cried. "You were supposed to be back almost an hour ago, and you didn't answer any of my texts, and it's supposed to rain tonight, and...is that ice cream?" John had reached into one of the bags he was holding, and pulled out a carton of chocolate ice cream.

"Yup," John said with a smile. "You said you didn't want to do anything special, but you also really wanted ice cream, so I-" Alex ran up to John, giving him a million kisses all over his face.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Alexander planted one last kiss on Johns lips, before grabbing the ice cream and a spoon, and running to the couch. "I also would still like to watch a movie."

"Disney?" John guessed, heading over to his boyfriend.

"Yes! Obviously!" John laughed lightly, put on The Little Mermaid, and fed Alexander ice cream while they criticized and pointed out problems in the movie. Once it was over, Alex looked up at him, a sugar-caused glow in his eyes. "I love you, John."

"I love you, too, Alex."

 **I feel like I've ended a lot of chapters like that...oh well. It's cute.**


	59. Chapter 59

**Someone suggested that I should add King George, and I finally figured out how to do so!**

 **Anyway, here's some Mullette:**

"Uuuuugh..." Hercules groaned when he walked into his dorm after class. Gil was reading a book at the table, and didn't notice his return. "UUUUUUGH." Gil finally looked up and sighed when Hercules flopped onto the table in front of him.

"What is wrong, Hercules?" Gil asked in a rehearsed manner.

"I have a really big project due next week, and I still don't have anyone to help me," Hercules explained.

"What is the project?"

"I have to make a super formal outfit."

"Why do you need help with that?"

"I don't need help making it. I need a model." Gil perked up.

"A model, huh?" Gil crossed his legs, placed his hands in his lap, and looked off into the distance.

"Yeah. Do you think Alex would do it?" Gil jolted.

"Alex? Really?"

"Yeah, I didn't think so either." Hercules took a seat on the couch, and Gil followed him. "He'd think it's 'beneath him'."

"Yes, I agree," Gil said as he leaned back against the back of the couch, stretching his arms to the side.

"Maybe John would help me; he has a good frame." Gil scoffed.

"Would he really be your best choice for this, Hercules?"

"I don't know who else..." Gil went to stand in front of his boyfriend, his hands on his hips.

"I think I might know who is willing," Gil stated. Hercules stared at him, dumbfounded.

"...Jefferson?"

" _Me, Hercules!_ " Gil shouted.

"...I know, Gil," Hercules said with a smile.

"Why didn't you just ask me first, then?"

"I was going to, but it was funny watching you show off."

"You are the worst," Gil huffed, plopping onto the couch, as far away from Hercules as possible.

"And you," Hercules reached over, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend, "are the most beautiful person I know, and it would be an honor if you would model one of my outfits." Gil blushed, succumbing to the hug.

"I would love to be your model," Gil said. "And I had _better_ be the most beautiful person you know, because if not, then you will become the most _single_ person you know."

"Understood."

* * *

" _Ow._ " Gil winced as another pin stabbed at his leg. "Hercules, your outfit will be soiled with my blood if you do not start being careful."

"Sorry," Hercules said through clenched teeth, since he was holding pins in his mouth. He was kneeling at Gil's side, gently pulling at the fabric covering his legs. "Last one." He put the final pin in some nondescript area near Gil's crotch.

" _Hercules!_ " Gil gasped, flinching at the prick. "What did I just tell you?"

"I'm sorry!" Hercules grabbed a pencil, marked every adjustment he needed to make, then removed the pins. "Okay, done with the pants." Hercules stood to move on to the shirt, his eyes moving slower and farther than his body. When his gaze met Gil's, he smiled softly. "You're so beautiful."

"You are just saying that because I am in the clothes you made," Gil assumed. Herc just shook his head as he reached for more pins.

"You remember the day we met, right?" Hercules asked as he began his work.

"Yes; I was scared of you," Gil recollected.

"Yes you were," Hercules laughed. "John and I were way too excited about the drinks we were going out for, and ran into the dorm, not knowing that you had just moved in. When we basically busted the door down, you jumped on the table and screamed in French."

"I believe I said, 'Stay back, demons!'" They laughed until a pin poked Gil's shoulder. "Then, when you invited me to go out with you and John, I accepted because I thought you were cute. However, I still called you a beast all night- _ow_."

"Sorry, I just...you thought I was cute?" Gil stared at Hercules blankly.

"Of course I did," Gil stated as if it were a well-known fact.

"Huh..." Hercules blinked before beginning to draw more lines for modification.

"The next morning, you stayed with me and made me food to help with the hangover, and that is when I discovered my, how you say, _crush_ on you." Hercules grinned as he turned to get final article of clothing: a jacket. Gil put it on as Hercules spoke again.

"I'm pretty sure I liked you before this happened," Herc explained, "but I knew I liked you for sure when you punched that guy in the bar after we met Alex."

"Really?" Gil snickered.

"Yup."

"How did you and John meet?"

"Uh...Hercules froze, a slight blush creeping onto his face. "We met at a pizza place...and somehow got into a competition to see who could fit more breadsticks into their mouth. John won, and now we're best friends.

"Oh...mon Dieu..." Gil struggled to hold back a laugh.

"Yeah..." Hercules set down his pencil and pins, then stood back, admiring his work, and his boyfriend in his work. "Okay, twirl for me."

* * *

"Hercules Mulligan, you're up next." Hercules stood as Gil was brought to the front of the class. Herc couldn't help but be nervous; he _had_ to get an A on this project. He stood next to Gil, and their hands brushed together, giving him a small burst of confidence. Hercules began explaining his outfit as Gil moved accordingly, raising his arms or bending his legs when Herc pointed to them. The jacket and pants were tight but flexible, and were navy blue in color, with sequins along the sides. The shirt underneath was white, with frills peeking out from under the jacket's high collar. The jacket itself was long, and puffed out a bit at the bottom. In the middle of the presentation, the teacher interrupted, "Hercules, while this is nice, I was expecting more from you." Gil and Hercules glanced at each other, smirking.

"Of course." Hercules nodded and stepped back to give Gil space. "I suppose I should mention, I couldn't decide between making a dress or a suit, so I actually made both." He let the class stare at him in confusion for a moment before nodding at Gil. The Frenchman reached behind him to untie a ribbon on his lower back, then held his arms out and spun. For a moment, nothing happened. But then, red and white fabric slipped out from under the jacket, fluttering through the air around Gil. The class gasped in awe, and a few people applauded. Gil slowly came to a stop, letting the skirt settle, reaching the floor. Herc smiled at his boyfriend, and concluded his presentation.

"Thank you, Hercules," the teacher said. "You can sit down now." Hercules nodded as Gil bowed, and they turned to go different directions. However, Gil swiftly turned around, kissed Hercules on the cheek, then sauntered away.

At the end of class, Hercules had to talk to the teacher, so Gil waited at the back of the room for him. Several people gave him compliments on how he looked, and he accepted each with a smile. Until...

"Hello, there." Gil looked up, coming face to face with a young man with wavy, blonde hair, and piercing, blue eyes. He spoke with a faint British accent. "You look rather fetching in that outfit." Gil narrowed his eyes, hearing something other than kindness in the man's tone.

"Thank you, monsieur," Gil hesitantly said.

"My name's George. George King. And you are?"

"Uh...Gi-Lafayette."

"How would you like to come... _hang out_ with me, Lafayette?" Gil blinked.

"Pardon?"

"Don't play dumb, sweetheart." George took hold of Gil's hips, but the Frenchman grabbed his hands, tearing them away.

"You should know I have a boyfriend already, considering I kissed him in front of the class," Gil sneered.

"Im not scared of him just because he plays football."

"He is not who you should be scared of." Gil, still holding George's hands away from him, twisted them back so quick that they cracked. George gasped in pain, stepping back. He glared at Gil, then walked away hastily. Gil huffed in frustration, tossing some stray curls away from his face. Hercules suddenly appeared, an upset look on his face.

"What was that about?" Herc asked.

"That...bordel de merde tried to get in my pants. Or rather," Gil shook the dress part of his outfit, "my skirt." He rolled his eyes at the anger showing in Hercules' face. "I would never have gone with him, mon amour. I have had drunken, one-night-stands with people who have acted better than him."

"Okay..." Hercules narrowed his eyes suspiciously, but calmed down a fair amount. "Wait, how did you do that? I thought you were trapped in a house for years."

Gil frowned for a moment at the mention, but casually explained, "I found a way to sneak out at night for a few months. Did you know that the drinking age is much lower in France than here?"

"I know now." Out of the corner of his eye, Gil saw George flirting with an uninterested girl. He scowled at the man from afar, then turned back to Hercules with a mischievous smirk.

"Hercules, darling, while I adore your clothing, wearing something this fancy for this long becomes uncomfortable."

"Um...okay?"

Gil leaned forward to whisper in Herc's ear, "So, why don't we go back to the dorm, and you can help me take these clothes off?" Hercules' face went red, and he stood in place for a moment, stuttering, as Gil walked away laughing, the fabric of his skirt swaying behind him.

 **Lafayette is fabulous no matter** **what, and if anyone disagrees, they can fight me.**


	60. Chapter 60

**The Battle of the Boys-Part 1: The Suits**

The Saturday after Angelica's birthday **(which is February 20th)** , the squad was invited to the Schuylers' house for her birthday party.

A few days before the party, Peggy broke into John and Alex's dorm. Literally. She picked the lock. The boys were cuddling and making out on the couch, when the door was suddenly thrown open. Alexander screamed and fell onto the floor as John jumped up to see who had come in.

" _WHAT THE FUCK, PEGGY?_ " John yelled, helping his hyperventilating boyfriend up. Peggy ignored him, walking to his bedroom as if it was her own. The boys followed her, finding her rummaging through John's closet. Without saying a word, Peggy went to Alex's room, and did the same. "Peggy, what are you doing?" The girl didn't answer, but instead pulled out her phone, and began rapidly texting.

"Peggy," Alex called out, trying to catch her attention, "why the _hell_ did you break in here just to look at our clothes?" His eye twitched as he stepped towards Peggy, who still didn't answer or look up from her phone.

"Yo, little Schuyler." John snapped his fingers in front of Peggy's face. A moment later, Peggy put her phone back in her pocket, then headed back to the front of the dorm.

"Come on, nerds," Peggy said, pulling out a ring of keys and twirling it around her finger. "We're going shopping." John and Alex glanced at each other in confusion.

"...What?"

"Let's just go." Peggy grabbed John's arm, pulling him out of the room, and Alexander was forced to follow.

While Peggy drove them to the mall, she finally explained, "Angie's birthday party is in a few days, and Dad wants every party that he throws to be this fancy, like, wedding reception, or something. Which means there's a fancy dress code, and neither of you have 'worthy' clothes." Alex blinked.

"You could've just told us that instead of _breaking into our dorm_!" Alex cried. He saw Peggy roll her eyes in the rearview mirror.

"Listen, I understand you're mad because I interrupted your 'fun', but I stopped caring about common human decency a long time ago."

"Yeah, I got that." They finally got to the mall, and Peggy led the boys to a fancy clothing store. John and Alex immediately grabbed random tuxedoes off of the first rack they saw.

"Oh, no." Peggy ripped the clothes out of their hands, and pulled them deeper into the store. "You need to at least try. Herc told me what colors you should get, and what style and-"

"Woah, wait," John interrupted. "Is this really such a big deal?"

"Yes," Peggy said, sifting through walls of clothes. She quickly picked out six suits, and gave three to each of the boys. "Go try these on." Alex and John gave each other a pained look before begrudgingly going into the small dressing rooms. After trying the clothes on, with Peggy denying several of them, they finally found what they dubbed "Schuyler worthy tuxedoes". However, they didn't actually see each other wearing them until the day of the party.

Alexander got out of the shower on Saturday, and left the bathroom wearing only a towel around his waist, only to jump in surprise as Peggy walked past him.

" _What the hell, Peggy?_ " Alex screamed, his face reddening.

"Calm down, John knows I'm here," Peggy said, grabbing a few hair ties from off the sink.

"That isn't what I'm freaking out about," Alex mentioned, hinting at his lack of clothing. Peggy looked him over with a blank look.

"Alex, I'm gay." Peggy rolled her eyes. "I could see you naked and I still wouldn't care. Probably..." She walked out and into John's room.

"Well, I would care!" Alex called out as the door closed behind her. He groaned in frustration and went to get dressed. The party was in less than an hour, and Alexander was less than excited. This night would be the first time he was ever involved in something fancy in anyway. _What if I do something wrong? What if I fall over while dancing? Speaking of, I can't dance, so this should be fun. Maybe I don't have to dance. Maybe I can just stand in the corner like a weirdo. That seems fitting._

"What's up with your hair?" Alex whipped around at the question, seeing Peggy standing in the doorway.

"First of all, you are so lucky I just finished getting dressed," Alex said. "Second of all, what?"

"Did you curl it?" Alexander stared at her in confusion, then brought some of his hair in front of his face. It had naturally gone from straight, to falling in gentle curls.

"Uh...no. It just does that after I shower-"

"It's perfect." Alex didn't have time to be flustered before Peggy ran up to him, and began messing with his hair.

"What are you-"

"Shut up." Alex clamped his mouth shut, letting Peggy do her work. She pulled hair form the sides of his head into the center, tying them in a low ponytail over the rest of the curls. "Beautiful."

"You're telling me..." John stood by the door, gaping at Alex. When Alexander looked up at his boyfriend, he took in a sharp breath. John had never looked more stunning. He wore a white tuxedo with black lapels. A red handkerchief was folded like a rose and placed in the front pocket of his jacket. His hair was pulled back into a tight bun, letting all the cute freckles on his face be shown. "Herc was right; green is your color." John's eyes glistened with adoration as he stepped closer. Alex glanced down at his own olive-green suit, smiling shyly.

"You look gorgeous, John," Alex muttered as John brought him into a gentle kiss.

"So do you," John hummed. They gazed at each other, eyes bright with love.

"This is cute and all, but we should probably get going." Alex rolled his eyes, having forgotten that Peggy was in the room with them.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," John sighed.

"Great, because _I_ still need to get ready, which means I'll be late..." Peggy went on as she headed out. Alex went to follow her, but John held him back for a moment.

"You really are the most beautiful person I've ever met," John said with a smile.

"Thank you..." Alexander whispered, not knowing what else to say. They kissed again, longer and more passionately this time.

Then, they broke apart suddenly when Peggy stormed back in, shouting, "Let's go!"


	61. Chapter 61

**The Battle of the Boys-Part 2: The Ball**

The party had already started when John, Alexander, and Peggy arrived. As soon as they stepped inside, Peggy told the boys where to go, then ran up to her room to change. When they got to the room where the party was being held, John pulled open the large, heavy, ornate doors.

"Do you think this door leads to a castle?" John smirked. The boys laughed, but their voices were cut short once they looked into the room.

They hadn't gone to a birthday party; they had gone to a royal family's ball. No matter how hard he tried, Alex couldn't even fathom how many people were in the same room. Though Alex and John were wearing new, very nice tuxedoes, they felt underdressed in the presence of so many elegant ball gowns. The room was roughly half the size of a high school gym, with a table of refreshments along one of the shorter walls.

"Holy crap..." Alex gaped, looking around. He had barely taken one voluntary step into the room, before he was being dragged to the side. All he saw was a flash of blue in his vision, and then he was right in front of Angelica, Lafayette, and Hercules. Hercules was wearing a gray suit, and Lafayette wore what appeared to be a sparkly, navy blue suit, except, it had a red and white skirt flowing off of it. Angelica wore a pale pink, colonial-style dress, which looked quite constricting on her chest, which was why Alex assumed she seemed so uncomfortable. Well, that and the fact she just had a generally bored-as-hell face. When she saw Alex, and John behind him, her eyes lit up.

"Oh, thank goodness," Angelica sighed. She gave John and Alex hugs, then turned to Eliza, who had brought the boys over, and who was wearing a light blue version of her sister's dress. "Are they the only others?"

"So far," Eliza said. "I assume Peggy is still getting ready, and I don't know when Maria is going to get here." Angelica groaned.

"Look around at how lucky I am to be me right now." Angelica gestured to the crowd around her. "Do you think I invited any of these people?" Alexander couldn't say that he did. Besides the squad, none of the attendees of the party looked to be anywhere close to Angelica's age.

"Our dad just uses celebrations like this for business," Eliza explained.

"Have you ever told him that you think it sucks?" Alex asked. Angelica nodded in exasperation.

"And yet, it's still as boring as always." Angelica rolled her eyes. "I mean, listen to the music. It's _classical_. Like, _what_? Dad, I'm 24, not 261." She huffed, blowing a few hairs out of her face that had fallen out of her bun. "I wish there was something I could do to make this- _my_ -party more fun..."

As if answering a cry for help, the doors flew open, and there was Peggy. She had a determined stare on her face, and stood like a superhero. Her dress was yellow, frilly, and so long that it got caught in the door as it closed behind her.

"Ah, dammit," Peggy could be heard grumbling as she tugged her skirt free, sending her stumbling forward. By the time she righted herself, everyone around her was staring at her. She pointed finger guns at them all and simply said, "Yo." When Peggy saw the squad, she headed over to them, that hard-as-nails look back on her face.

"Oh, finally," Angelica smiled. "Peggy, listen-"

"I'm just gonna stop you right there," Peggy interrupted. "I don't know about you, but I, for one, hate this boring event that has the audacity to be called a party. So, I'm going to fix it."

"Awesome, but how?" Eliza inquired.

Peggy smirked, "Well, we'll have to break a few rules, if you don't mind."

"Rule-breaking? I'm in." The members of the squad turned simultaneously to see Maria suddenly behind them. She wore a long, tight, dark red dress, and her hair fell loose over half of her face. Since her dress showed off her cleavage and one of her legs, Peggy couldn't help but stare at her girlfriend. Unfortunately, neither could Alex or Hercules. John and Lafayette noticed their boyfriends gawking at her, and promptly gave them each a harsh slap on the arm, making them tear their eyes away quickly. Maria laughed at them, then went to give Peggy a kiss. Angelica cleared her throat.

"Can we focus on the party, please?" Angelica asked, trying not to push Maria away from her youngest sister.

"Yeah, sure," Peggy mumbled, still in a bit of a daze. She blinked and shook her head. "Okay, we need four crucial things to make this party work. Food, music, people, and lights. Now, all of those are already here, but not in the way we want them. So, we need to split up, work fast, and make this a party that Angie actually likes, okay?" Everyone nodded. "Good. Let's do this."

* * *

Peggy and John snuck out of the house and to the former's car (a yellow bug, obviously). Peggy sped out of the driveway and down the street.

"There's a liquor store not far from here," Peggy said. "Order some pizzas before we get there."

"How many?" John asked.

"Many."

"Okay...ten it is." John finished ordering just as Peggy pulled up to the small store. She sprinted inside, with John close behind.

"Peggy?" The young man behind the counter called out. "What's up with the clothes?"

"Hey, Sonny," Peggy replied as she and John grabbed some cases of beer. "It's Angelica's birthday."

"Oh, sorry," the man said as Peggy paid.

"It's fine. I'm still willing to bet that your friend's 'carnavals' are better."

"Fight me." The two of them laughed, leaving John very confused.

"See ya, Son!" Peggy yelled behind her as she and John left.

"You seem to know him well," John said as they got back in the car.

"Yeah, we hang out sometimes. He's probably my best friend."

"I thought Laf was your best friend." Peggy shrugged. "Or me."

"Definitely not."

"Maria?"

"...She's a close second."

* * *

"Who are you calling?" Maria asked Lafayette the third time he tried to call the same person.

"Uh..." Lafayette hesitaited. "Thomas..." Maria blinked.

"... _What?_ " Laf shied away from his friend.

"I know, I know. But, if we want more people here, he is the person to go to. He knows everyone." Lafayette's phone clicked, signaling an unanswered call. He sighed. "He is not picking up, however."

"It's only 7:00, though." Lafayette nodded, about to put his phone in his pocket. "Wait." Maria groaned at herself. "Keep trying. He usually answers after a few calls." Lafayette complied, and found that she was right; Thomas picked up right away.

"What the _hell_ do you want?" Thomas sounded almost out of breath, and hurried shuffling could be heard through the phone. "I'm busy."

"We need your help," Laf told his cousin.

"That's great. Also, I don't care."

"It is a party," Lafayette called out before the call could be ended. The other side was silent for a moment.

"Go on." Lafayette sighed in relief.

"We are at the Schuylers' house for Angelica's birthday," Lafayette explained. "We all agree that it is utterly boing here, we decided to try to make the party more fun. So, can you get more people over here for us?"

"Does it matter who I invite?"

"It clearly does not if you can come." There was more silence, then Thomas whispering something unintelligible to someone, presumably James.

"You said it's her birthday. Do we have to bring presents for her royal highness?"

"No." More whispering.

"I can get you about 100 people in the next hour."

"Really?" Laf gasped, smiling at Maria.

"Yeah," Thomas sighed. "It's a party. Why not?"

"Oh, merci, Thomas! Thank you!"

"I know what merci means." Thomas hung up, and Lafayette jumped from the success.

"He's going to do it?" Maria asked in disbelief. Lafayette nodded quickly, and gave Maria a high-give. "I never thought I'd be excited because of Thomas," Maria admitted.

"I know. I just hope Angelica won't mind."

* * *

Angelica had to lift her skirt to even be able to walk, so no, she was not alright, thank you very much, Hercules. She pushed her way through the crowd of nicely-dressed adults, avoiding any eye contact at all. She and Herc finally made it to the corner of the ballroom where the DJ booth was, and devised a plan.

"My dad just has it set to play a bunch of classical songs, so no one is up there right now," Angelica explained. "I can distract everyone that's too close until you can sneak up there." Herc nodded, then stayed back as Angelica plastered on a smile and moved forward.

Angelica fortunately (and unfortunately) knew everyone here, as they were business parters with her father. She also knew what to talk about with certain people, or, at least, say things they all wanted to hear. _Let's see here...Deborah Sampson? Not important enough. Phillis Wheatley? Too nice. Abigail Adams? Perfect._ Angelica strolled right up to the older woman, interrupting the conversation she was having with other people.

"Hello," Angelica greeted cheerfully. "Are you all enjoying yourselves?" Abigail turned to Angelica with anger in her eyes, clearly wanting to return to her discussion.

"We are having a wonderful time, thank you," Abigail said. "Who are you?" Of course she didn't recognize the eldest Schuyler; she didn't need to.

"Angelica Schuyler, Mrs. Adams." Abigail's face flushed with embarrassment.

"Oh, my dear Angelica!" Abigail cried, trying to cover up her mistake. "I didn't recognize you in such a beautiful dress!"

"It's perfectly fine, Mrs. Adams." _God, is this what Peggy feels like?_

"How old are you, now, dear?" Abigail asked.

"24, ma'am."

"How much longer until you're out of school?"

"Well, i need a doctorate in psychology, so about six more years." The whole small group around her was listening now, and out of the corner of her eye, Angelica saw Hercules walk past, making her sigh in relief.

"How are you going to make time for a boyfriend with all that school?" _Nope, nope, nope. Never mind. Anxiety is back._

"I'm not really interested in anyone, Mrs. Adams," Angelica said, barely keeping her composure.

"You just haven't found the right man yet." Angelica wished she could send some kind of telepathic signal to Hercules, saying: SOS STRANDED AROMANTIC OVER HERE

Suddenly, Angelica's phone buzzed in the small purse at her hip. She pulled it out, quickly reading the text she had gotten.

 **HercDerp:** I'm here come on

 _Oh, my gosh. I have telepathy._

Angelica put her phone away, turning back to the bitc- _woman_ in front of her. "I'm _so_ _sorry_ to cut this short, but I have to check on everyone else. Thank you _so much_ for coming." Angelica hurried away, getting to Hercules as fast as she could.

"We have to do this fast, before someone sees us and tells my parents," Angelica said, ducking a bit to not be seen. Hercules nodded as he cancelled out all the previously entered music on the computer in front if him.

"What songs should we play?" Herc asked. Angelica rattled off every popular song she could think of, whether she liked them or not.

"Oh, and Seasons of Love; it's Eliza's favorite."

* * *

"Why do we have to go up there?" Alex asked, pointing at the platform above him.

"My dad stopped controlling the lights with a tablet a few years ago when we messed with them," Eliza explained. "So we'll have to fix them manually."

The light in the ballroom were reminiscent of the lights in a stadium or theater. They are on a metal platform that was hung from the ceiling and was suspended far above everyone's heads.

"So, we have to climb up there?" Alex guessed.

"Yup." Eliza confirmed. "But there's a ladder, so it shouldn't be too hard."

"Do you mean that ladder?" Alexander pointed behind Eliza at a metal ladder on the wall across the room. The bottom rung was far above either of their heads.

"Crap. My dad must've put it up so this didn't happen." The two of them made their way through the crowd to the ladder. Once they saw just how high up it was, Eliza began taking off her heels.

"What are you doing?"

"Lift me up there."

"What? Can't you just jump?"

"Not in this dress."

"Fine," Alex groaned. He knelt down and held his hands out, Eliza standing on them like a stair. Alex lifted her up quickly, and she grabbed hold of the ladder.

Eliza looked down at Alex before she continued on, saying, "If you look up my skirt, I can guarantee that you will die before you're 50." So, Alexander kept his eyes on the back of Eliza's head as she climbed up to the platform. As she messed with the lights, Alex felt a hand slide down his back and wrap around his hip.

"What's up?" John asked, Peggy bouncing behind him.

"Eliza," Alex answered, pointing up to the girl, who waved back.

"What is she doing?" Lafayette wondered when he appeared.

"Fixing the lights."

"Where's Maria?" Peggy questioned.

"Making sure no one comes in yet." Laf crossed his arms. "Thomas said they would not listen to me."

"Wait, Thomas? Why-" Alexander was cut off when Angelica walked over.

"In five minutes, Herc is going to start the music." The eldest of the group noticed everyone else facing the ceiling. "What are you looking a- _ELIZA_!"

"I'm fine!" Eliza called back. After another couple minutes of Angelica nervously figeting, her sister finally slid back down the ladder and onto the floor. "The lights are now connected to my phone. We're ready." She smiled at Angelica, who pulled out her phone to send out the signal.

 **BestSis** : let's get this party started

 **HEY GUYS**

 **I must pass onto you a message: If you read Down in New York by GravityUniverse13, they would like to tell you that they're having trouble with the site, and will be back as soon as possible. Please be patient, it's all good. If you haven't read it, you should, it's good.**

 **K bye!**


	62. Chapter 62

**HEY! There will be some French in this chapter. DON'T LOOK UP THE TRANSLATIONS. You will see them later, and looking them up right away _might_ spoil the end of the chapter. If you can already understand French, that's okay, don't worry about it.**

 **The Battle of the Boys-Part 3: The Fight**

All at once, the ballroom was sent into chaos. The lights flipped from constant, calm blue and white to flashing red, purple, and green. The music abruptly changed to a loud rap song. The people already in the room collectively gasped in surprise. Then, the doors flew open, and Maria could be heard shouting " _Have some fucking fun_!" as a flood of college students burst into the room, screaming. The squad cheered in success. Maria and Hercules found their way back to the group, receiving excited hugs from their girlfriend and boyfriend, respectively. Their delight died down a bit, however, when they saw that Maria had been followed by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, the latter keeping a hand on the former's back.

"You invited _Jefferson_?" Angelica asked Maria through gritted teeth.

"Um, no," Maria disagreed, pointing at Lafayette. "He did." Laf gave a small wave.

"Why is he here?" Alex asked.

"Well, I certainly feel loved." Thomas mumbled (or, what could be heard as mumbling with the loud music behind them). He said louder, "I'm the reason all these people are here, so maybe you should thank me before I send a picture of your frilly ass to all of- _James_!" Thomas gasped and slapped his boyfriend on the chest. Alexander wasn't sure, but he assumed the reaction was caused by James moving his hand to someplace lower than Thomas' back (John had done this to Alex several times before, mainly when he was in the middle of ranting to someone). James leaned over to whisper something to Thomas, whose face was either covered with a blush or a red spotlight. "Fine..." Thomas grumbled once James had finished talking to him. "I unfortunately cannot bother you anymore." Thomas told the squad, turning to walk away. "Oh, and-"

Suddenly a voice yelled "Angelica!" over the music.

"Never mind. Daddy's calling. Good luck with that." Thomas and James hurried away just as Philip and Catharine Schuyler stormed up to the group. Their daughters stood next to each other defensively.

"What have we told you about doing this?" Philip asked the sisters angrily.

"Not to," the girls sighed.

"We are very disappointed in you three," Catharine said. Angelica bit her lip, Eliza looked at the floor in shame, and Peggy stood up straighter and took a step forward.

"Well, you know what? We're disappointed in you two." Peggy crossed her arms triumphantly. "That's right, I said it. I just turned the tables. I _flipped_ the tables. I threw the tables out the goddamn window!" Her parents gaped in shock. "You've just been using our birthdays as business gatherings, and it's stupid and boring and we're done with it."

" _Margarita Schuyler_ -"

"Mom," Eliza cut in, "she's right. We just wanted to have fun."

"Seriously, this-" Angelica gestured around the room-"is crap."

"Girls, you-" Philip was cut off by John, of all people.

"Hey, um, speaking from experience: a lifetime of birthdays like this _may_ not be the best for their mental state, or at least for their relationship with you."

"Just let them have this," Maria said, stepping out from behind Peggy.

"They can do whatever they want for their birthdays when they move out after college," Philip told them.

"How do you even know they'll live that long?" Alex asked, taking everyone by surprise.

Catharine and Philip stammered for a moment, before Philip finally mumbled, "Alright." The squad cheered again, and ran off into the crowd.

Eliza laughed at Angelica as she twirled around the room. Everyone danced and the music topped volume. Everyone, including Alexander, got at least a little tipsy that night. At one point, Peggy and Maria ran out of the room, giggling. Angelica acted like she hadn't even see them.

"Uh, Angelica?" John called out. "You know they're gonna-"

"I know," Angelica said, a small smile on her face. Just then, a quick, French rap song began to play, and Lafayette and Alex squealed in excitement. They began singing along in a language no one else understood.

"Did you put this song in there?" John asked Hercules.

"Yeah," Hercules replied. "I guess it's popular in France right now, because Gil won't stop listening to it."

"I think he showed it to Alex one day. He keeps singing it at the top of his lungs." John sighed. "He's cute though, so I guess that evens it out."

"True; Gil is too adorable to get mad at." They watched their boyfriends dance around and sing with big, silly grins on their faces.

"Alex is cuter, though."

"I'm sorry?" Herc turned to his friend at the sound of a challenge.

"What? He is." John smirked mischievously.

"Gil is _way_ cuter."

John lowered his voice a bit. "Wanna fight about it?"

"One week. Whoever's boyfriend is cuter wins."

"Wins what?"

"Bragging rights?"

"Alright," John shrugged. The shook hands to seal the deal, and the battle began. With perfect timing, Alex and Laf ran up to them with wide, joy-filled eyes.

"Come dance with us, amour!" Laf cried, grabbing his boyfriend's arms.

"Please, please, _please_?" Alex pouted. John and Herc glanced at each other with looks that read ' _Game on._ '

"Okay," John said. "Let's dance."

* * *

The four of them decided to watch a movie together a couple nights later. Sure, it was just to see who would win the game, but why not make it fun? It was late, so halfway through the movie, Laf and Alex fell asleep.

 _Perfect_.

Alex had dozed off while laying on John's shoulder. John looked over at Hercules and smirked. 'Beat this,' he mouthed. Herc frowned, Laf simply sitting next to him. All he could do was wrap his arm around Laf's shoulders. John almost laughed at the attempt, but froze when Lafayette woke up just enough to crawl onto his boyfriend's lap and hug him.

'You were saying?' Hercules mouthed back. John grumbled incoherently and turned back to the movie.

* * *

The next day, the squad went out for ice cream. John was annoyed the entire time because Hercules and Lafayette had decided to share a bowl, while he and Alex had separate cones. John snarled slightly every time Laf opened his mouth and Hercules fed him a spoonful of the frozen confection.

John wanted to win.

" _Johnny_ ," Alexander whined. John turned to his boyfriend, his eyes lighting up at the sight of him. Alex's nose was pink with strawberry ice cream, and his eyes were crossed with child-like frustration.

"You are _so_ cute." John glanced up at Hercules as he spoke, a smug grin on his face. Herc sneered at him in return. John kissed the ice cream off of Alex's nose, getting a small peck on the lips as a thanks. John gave Herc a look that said 'I win.' Hercules just glared at him and turned away.

* * *

"Last day," John said. "Tie-breaker." Herc nodded curtly.

"And they wanted to meet in the park, too, so this should be fun." Laf and Alex had texted their boyfriends earlier, telling them to meet them in the park after their classes for something important. They heard their boyfriends before they saw them.

"Je suis nerveuse," Lafayette said.

"N'en fais pas trop, d'accord?" Alexander replied. "Ils ne se douteront de rien." Hercules and John walked around a tree, finding their boyfriends standing behind it. When they were seen, Alex crossed his arms and glared at them, and Laf stared at the ground.

"Hey, what's up?" Hercules asked, moving to wrap his arm around Laf's waist. However, Lafayette stepped away from him, letting out a small whimper as he did so. "What's wrong?"

"You..." Lafayette's voice cracked as he spoke, and Alex sighed in exasperation.

"What? What do you mean?" Hercules wondered in concern. Alex rolled his eyes.

"We've been trying to get your attention all week," Alex explained angrily, "but the two of you have been ignoring us." John stared at his boyfriend in confusion.

"What are you talking about?" John asked. "We've done nothing but pay attention you." Alexander scoffed, rolling his eyes again.

"Even the girls have noticed."

"What is the point of this?"

"We've decided to take a break from you," Alex stated. Laf bit his lip as if trying not to cry.

"Wait," Hercules stammered, "are you...are you _breaking up with us_?"

"We don't want to," Lafayette objected, still avoiding his boyfriend's eyes. "But...you...we..." Laf stifled a cry. Hercules stepped towards him, but Alex stood between them.

"You two can come talk to us once you figure out how to notice when your boyfriends are trying to love you," Alex grumbled before grabbing Lafayette and pulling him away as he cried softly. John and Herc were left to gape at them as they left. Eventually, John turned to Hercules and spoke in a panic.

"What have we done?"

* * *

"They aren't in my dorm," Herc said, closing the door to his dorm room. "They might be in yours."

"God, we're idiots," John sighed, running a hand through his hair. "They want to break up with us because we used them to win a stupid competition." The two of them headed towards John's dorm, hearing talking inside as they got closer. "They're in there. What should we say?" Herc shrugged.

"Just apologize, I guess-" Hercules stopped when loud laughter rang out from behind the door. Herc glanced at John in confusion before they both pressed their ears against the door.

"How did you act so angry?" Lafayette's muffled voice asked.

"I'm always angry," Alex replied. They burst into giggles.

"Whatever you say, Bruce Banner."

"I'm just surprised they didn't notice how fake your crying was."

"The only thing that matters is that they fell for it."

"Yup. Now we just wait for them to come running back to us." Hercules opened the door to see Alex and Laf eating ice cream, smiling as if nothing had just happened.

"Oh...um...hello," Laf said, surprised to see his boyfriend standing there.

"How much of that did you hear?" Alexander asked anxiously.

"Enough to know that you played us," John said with a glare. "How long have you known?" Alex and Lafayette smirked at each other.

"Since the party."

* * *

 **Everything in parentheses is in French.**

"(You can hear them, right?)" Alex asked in French so Herc and John thought it was part of the song.

"(Yes,)" Lafayette replied as he danced. "(They are not very good at keeping their voices down. They think we are cute, though.)"

"(They want to use us as chess pieces.)" Laf smirked.

"(Then maybe we should play them instead.)"

"(How do you suggest we do that?)" Alexander inquired, already liking the idea.

"(We act cuter than ever until the last day-)"

"(Then act like we hate them so they never use us like this again?)"

"(Exactly.)"

"(Let's do this.)" Alex and Laf ran up to their boyfriends with over-exaggerated happiness on their faces.

"Come dance with us, amour!" Laf cried, grabbing his boyfriend's arms.

"Please, please, _please_?" Alex pouted. John and Herc glanced at each other with looks that read ' _Game on._ '

"Okay," John said. "Let's dance."

* * *

They weren't asleep, but Hercules and John thought they were, and that was all that mattered. Alex lay on John's shoulder, even as he turned towards Hercules. When Herc wrapped his arm around Lafayette, the Frenchman took it as a signal that it was a good time to up his game. He sat on his boyfriend's lap and hugged him tightly, being sure to make it seem like he was barely awake. Once the movie was over, Hercules carried the "sleeping" Lafayette back to their dorm. As they left, Laf opened his eyes a crack and smirked at Alex.

The next day, Laf basically forced Herc to share a bowl of ice cream with him. Every so often, determined to be overly cute, Lafayette opened his mouth like a baby bird waiting to be fed until Hercules gave him a spoonful of the chocolate ice cream. Alex groaned inwardly before purposely getting his nose in his cone.

" _Johnny_ ," Alexander whined. John turned to his boyfriend, his eyes lighting up at the sight of him. Alex's nose was pink with strawberry ice cream, and his eyes were crossed with child-like frustration.

"You are _so_ cute." John glanced up at Hercules as he spoke, a smug grin on his face. Herc sneered at him in return. John kissed the ice cream off of Alex's nose, getting a small peck on the lips as a thanks. John gave Herc a look that said 'I win.' Hercules just glared at him and turned away.

* * *

"(I am nervous,)" Lafayette said.

"(Just do not overdo it, okay?)" Alexander replied. "(They won't suspect a thing.)" Just then, their boyfriends appeared from behind a tree. When they were seen, Alex crossed his arms and glared at them, and Laf stared at the ground, both pretending to be upset.

"Hey, what's up?" Hercules asked, moving to wrap his arm around Laf's waist. However, Lafayette stepped away from him, letting out a small whimper as he did so. "What's wrong?"

"You..." Lafayette's voice cracked as he spoke, and Alex sighed in exasperation. Laf was already over-selling it.

"What? What do you mean?" Hercules wondered in concern. Alex rolled his eyes.

"We've been trying to get your attention all week," Alex explained angrily, "but the two of you have been ignoring us." John stared at his boyfriend in confusion.

"What are you talking about?" John asked. "We've done nothing but pay attention you." Alexander scoffed, rolling his eyes again.

"Even the girls have noticed." Laf and Alex had told the girls what was happening after they had gone out for ice cream. They had agreed to act like Hercules and John were being asses if they ever tried to get proof of Alex's statement.

"What is the point of this?"

"We've decided to take a break from you," Alex stated. Laf bit his lip as if trying not to cry. He was actually trying not to laugh or tell the truth.

"Wait," Hercules stammered, "are you...are you _breaking up with us_?"

"We don't want to," Lafayette objected, still avoiding his boyfriend's eyes. "But...you...we..." Laf stifled a cry. Hercules stepped towards him, but Alex stood between them.

"You two can come talk to us once you figure out how to notice when your boyfriends are trying to love you," Alex grumbled before grabbing Lafayette and pulling him away as he "cried" softly. John and Herc were left to gape at them as they left, quietly laughing as they did.

* * *

"Are you serious?" John yelled as Alex and Lafayette broke down laughing. "Why didn't you just tell us you knew?"

"Where is the fun in that?" Lafayette asked.

"You scared us," Hercules complained.

"You deserved it," Alex argued. "If you had told us you wanted to have a cute boyfriend battle right away, we would have helped you."

"You would have?" John asked.

"Of course!" Laf squeaked. "After all, we all know that Hercules and I make the cutest couple." Alex whipped his head around to face his friend.

"Excuse me? John and I are cuter," Alexander disagreed.

"Wait, so, you aren't breaking up with us?" Herc asked.

"Of course not!" Alex and Laf yelled at once, before continuing their argument.

"Oh, thank God..." John sighed, staring at the ceiling. Hercules just smiled subconsciously.

"(I am glad they are happy again,)" Lafayette said, still making his voice sound angry.

"(Me, too,)" Alex agreed. "(Although, they should know that we would never do that to them.)"

 **HELP!**

 **Now that you're here, want to participate again? The next chapter is about April Fools Day, and I need some good prank ideas. I already know what to do involving Hercules, Lafayette, James, and Thomas, so if you have any ideas for what any of the other main characters should do, please leave a review, and I might use your idea!**

 **Also, regarding this chapter, do you think John and Hercules deserved it? And which couple do you think won? I'd love to know!**

 **Thanks for reading and being patient while I constantly have writer's block. Bye for now!**


	63. Chapter 63

**Thank you for all your awesome prank ideas; I loved them all!**

 **Super special thanks to reviewers SatanicCinnabun, PEGGY, Fangirl0103, and DidYouForgetLafayette.**

 **Enjoy!**

Angelica couldn't move when she woke up. She usually didn't want to get out of bed anyway, but she literally could not get up today. A pressure pushed down on her arms, legs, and torso. When she finally looked down, she saw that her body was covered in duct tape that held her onto her bed.

 _Wait..._

She squinted at the calendar on the wall across the room. A date had been circled on it in bright blue marker.

 _Oh, no..._

" _Eliiizaaa!_ " Angelica heard footsteps slowly make their way towards her room. The door creaked open, and Eliza stepped in, a roll of duct tape on her wrist and a smug grin on her face.

"Yes, dear sister?" Eliza batted her eyes innocently.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" Eliza pretended to think for a moment.

"April fools!"

* * *

"Thank you so much for coming over," Maria said gratefully.

"Of course!" Peggy replied. Maria had asked her to come to her dorm to help with something. Peggy had quickly accepted, eager to lend her girlfriend a helping hand. "What did you need?"

"My boss at the bar is trying to find better recipes for the food we serve there to get more customers," Maria explained. "My dad thought me how to make guacamole when I was younger, so I offered to make some. I wanted you to try it first and tell me if it's good." Peggy gasped excitedly.

"I love guacamole!" Peggy cried.

"Wonderful!" Maria opened her fridge and pulled out a small bowl filled with the green dip. She also took a bag of chips out of a cabinet and gave one to Peggy. "Here you go." Maria waited in anticipation for Peggy to try her concoction.

But Peggy just stood there.

"We should try it together," Peggy suggested with a smirk. Maria blinked in shock.

"What?" Maria sputtered. "Why?"

"Because I don't trust you."

"Why not?"

"Did you really think _I_ wouldn't remember that it's April Fools Day?" Maria blushed in shame. "So, what did you do to it?"

"I put wasabi in it."

"Oh, nice." Peggy hugged her girlfriend from the side. "I'm proud of you, babe."

"Thanks..." Maria mumbled.

"Hey, don't feel bad about it," Peggy grinned. "Would messing with someone else make you feel better?" Maria nodded and smirked.

"Who did you have in mind?"

* * *

"Oh, no." Hercules groaned.

"Yup." James muttered, exasperated. The two of their boyfriends had asked them to come to the park. Neither of them had known what the reason was, but they just found out.

Thomas and Gil stood next to each other, wearing matching outfits, both with their hair down, and identical smiles on their faces. Neither of them said anything, making it near impossible to tell them apart.

"Apparently their dads were identical twins," James had explained. "Clearly those genes were the ones to be passed down."

"I hate April Fools Day..." Hercules mumbled. He and James studied the faces of their boyfriends for a few minutes, finding no differences. Eventually, Hercules threw his hands up in surrender. "I give up. You win."

The cousins shared a look and a shrug, then one of them took out a hair tie and pulled his hair up. The one with his hair still down took a few steps towards James...

Then turned and kissed Hercules.

The other three gasped, and Hercules shoved the supposed "Gil" off of him. "Thomas" glared at "Gil", then ran forward and tackled him to the ground. "Thomas" pulled at the hair tie in "Gil's" hair until it snapped. They pushed each other around and rolled on the ground so much that Hercules and James lost sight of who was who.

At once, the two confused boys yelled, "Stop!" The cousins froze, then stood and stepped away from each other in resentment. The previous "Gil" pulled his hair up again with an extra hair tie and crossed his arms.

"Okay, this is enough," James grumbled. He grabbed "Thomas'" arm and pulled him away. "Gil" and Hercules watched them leave the park before either of them spoke.

"Oh, no..." the southern boy said. Hercules' eyes widened.

"You aren't Gil," Herc concluded.

"No, I am not," Thomas confirmed. "But we'd better go help him." He let his hair down and shook it, before quickly heading for the dorm buildings. Hercules followed close behind him.

"What do you mean, 'help him'?"

"Jemmy and I have an... _interesting_ relationship. I'm not explaining, so don't ask. All you need to know is that it's very problematic that James is mad right now."

"Um...okay then..." They were silent the rest of the way to Thomas and James' dorm room. Then, Herc wondered, "Were you the one that kissed me?"

"Ew, no." Thomas unlocked and opened the door to his dorm.

And then screeched.

James and Gil were inside, the former holding the latter against a wall. They stood with their faces mere inches apart, and a few small bruises rested on both of their necks and jawlines. When they saw that the door had been opened, they gasped and hurried to separate. Thomas and Hercules just gaped at them, emotions swirling inside their minds.

" _What the hell?_ " Thomas screamed, slamming the door shut behind him.

"Thomas, we can explain," James assured calmly. Thomas just rolled his eyes.

"Oh, sure. I bet you'll say that 'this isn't what it looks like', too."

"It isn't, I swear," Gil said.

"Then what is it?" Hercules asked, tears threatening to form in his eyes.

"It is James and I having the dumbest boyfriends in the world, apparently." Gil walked over to the table, where a package of makeup remover had been placed. He took a few wipes out, giving some to James. As they cleaned the fake hickeys off of their throats, Gil continued, "Did you two really think we would do something like this to you?"

"Wait...what?" Hercules mumbled, confused.

"Thomas talks on the phone too loud," James explained. "I ended up hearing about the prank, and I wanted to join in."

Gil added, "He came to me one day with an idea, and I agreed, not realizing that the two of you are idiots."

"So...you aren't cheating on us?" Thomas asked.

"No." Gil and James answered.

"I wouldn't stoop so low that I kiss your cousin, anyway," James said, matter-of-factly.

"Well, you certainly aren't a basket of roses, either," Gil retorted with a glare.

"If this is over," Herc cut in, "can we leave?"

"Alright." Gil said goodbye ("Because I am polite, Hercules.") and he and Hercules headed back to their own dorm. After a walk of silence, Gil finally asked, "Are you mad at me?"

"No," Hercules sighed after a moment, making Gil smile. His grin widened when Hercules pulled him in for a kiss. Just before they did, Herc froze with a mischievous smirk on his face. "April fools."

* * *

"Alex?" John called from his room.

"Yeah?" Alex replied as he adjusted his sweatshirt on his shoulders.

"Where's Eleanor?"

"In her tank, I'd assume."

"Well, she isn't," John stated as he walked out to the living room where Alex was. "Did you take her out while I was in class?"

"No. Did you forget to put her back?"

"Why would I do that?" Alex just shrugged. "Help me find her, please."

"Okay, okay." John and Alex began looking around the dorm for the turtle.

Okay, that wasn't entirely true. John was trying to find his pet, while Alexander kept John from seeing the back of his sweatshirt.

"She has to be around here somewhere..." John mumbled as he searched the kitchen.

"Well, yeah- _ow_." Alex flinched when something pinched the back of his neck.

"What was that?" John asked.

"N-nothing." John narrowed his eyes in suspicion. He stepped coser to Alex, grabbed his shoulders, and spun him around.

"Eleanor!" John gasped. He reached into the hood of Alex's sweatshirt, pulling out his pet. "What the heck, Alex?"

"April fools!" Alex smiled. Realization slowly formed on John's face.

"Oh, my _God_." John went to his room to put Eleanor back in her tank, then came back out with mock anger on his face. " _Never_ do that again. I would choose her life over yours."

"Do you mean that?" Alex pouted.

"Of course not." John's face softened into a faint smile and he moved forward to kiss his boyfriend.

Just before their lips connected, however, Alexander yelped in surprise. Something had been thrown at his back, splattering all over him. They turned to the front door to see that Peggy had broken in again, with Maria this time. Before John could do anything, another egg was thrown at him, exploding on his chest.

The boys just stood frozen in shock, dripping with yellow yolks, while Maria and Peggy ran away, screaming, "Happy April Fools Day!"

* * *

 _"John? What are you doing here?" Alexander asked, frightened._

 _"Saving you," John stated as he stepped farther into the room. He picked up the dropped gun and walked towards Alexander. "Are you okay?"_

 _"I'm fine." John gently kissed Alex on the forehead._

 _"You think he loves you?" The hooded figure laughed. "Where's your proof?" Alexander and John both glared at them, but didn't respond._

 _"Look around for something we can tie them up with," John suggested. Alexander nodded and they turned to opposite sides of the room. Alex placed his gun on a table while he searched a cabinet._

 _"Seriously John, how did you find me?" Alexander wondered._

 _"I don't know," John shrugged. "I just kind of...did." Alex turned around to gaze fondly at John, even though his back was turned to him._

 _Then, all in the space of a split-second, several things happened in rapid succession. Alex heard a click and spun around to face where the noise had come from. He saw that the person who had been chasing him earlier had picked up the gun that Alexander had put down. Alex didn't have enough time to react before a bullet sped towards him._

 _And tore straight through John._

 _Alexander screamed, ignoring the person running out of the building. John had jumped in front of him too fast for him to realize what had happened. Now, John collapsed to the ground, barely alive, and Alexander knelt next to him, crying._

 _"What the hell is wrong with you, John?" Alex sobbed, hugging John tightly._

 _"I had to...prove...that I love you..." John said through raspy breaths as blood sputtered out of his mouth._

 _"No, you didn't. I already knew that."_

 _"Alex..."_

 _"Shh..."_

 _"Alex...I need to...ask you something..." The light in John's eyes was dimming; he was fading. Fast._

 _"Shh...save your strength and stay alive. Please."_

 _"It's...important...Alex." Alexander choked on a cry, knowing it was already too late._

 _"Wh-what is it, J-John?" John took in a final breath and looked directly into Alexander's eyes when he spoke._

 _"Would you trust me to save your life?"_

Alex shot up in bed, his eyes darting around in the dark until they found John sleeping peacefully next to him. Sleeping. Breathing. _Alive_.

Alexander turned and sat on the side of the bed, crying into his hands so quietly that John didn't even wake up. Alex didn't bother waking him anyway. He didn't want John to see him like this. He did not want to have to explain that nightmare. He couldn't relive that without wanting to die.

He didn't get any more sleep that night.


	64. Chapter 64

Alexander was sick. He wouldn't admit it, of course, but he was sick. He had a mild fever, and his stomach hurt immensely, but to him, it was nothing.

To John, however, it was everything.

"What's wrong?" John asked after watching Alex poke at his breakfast for nearly ten minutes.

"Nothing..." Alex muttered, not looking up.

"That's a lie; you never let your cereal get this soggy."

"I'm just not hungry."

"That's also a lie," John stated. "Seriously, what's wrong? Did something happen?"

"I don't feel well is all."

"What do mean?" John questioned, attentive.

"My stomach hurts. It's fine."

"What's your temperature?"

"100.2..."

" _100_?" John gasped, running up to his boyfriend. He pressed the back of his hand against Alex's head, but the latter waved him away.

"Why are you acting like a mom?" Alexander asked.

"Call it a family trait to care about the well being of the people I love," John snipped.

"You aren't even the mom friend, though."

"But I'm your boyfriend, and that's close enough. Would you rather I told Laf to come over?" Alex's eyes widened.

"Please don't. He scares me sometime-" Alex suddenly covered his mouth and squeezed his eyes shut. After a forceful swallow, he took a deep breath, and returned to his nonchalant stance.

"...What was that?"

"The contents of my stomach." John's jaw dropped.

"Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no." John grabbed Alexander's shoulders, pushing him towards his room, barely getting any resistance. "A fever is bad enough, but this...were you still going to go to school?" Alex nodded. "You are so dumb sometimes." Alex opened his mouth to argue, but quickly clamped it shut again. "Get in the bed," John demanded.

"John, I don't think now is the best time-"

"I'm not flirting with you. Get in the bed, and get some rest. And stop laughing at me."

"I'm sorry, but...this isn't a big deal."

"Then it's a medium-sized deal. Get in the bed." Alex rolled his eyes and complied.

"Happy?" Alex wondered, pulling the blanket over him.

"Yes. Now, try not to do much until I get back." John left the room, and a moment later, Alexander heard the front door close. He waited a few seconds before he kicked the bedsheets off of him.

"Screw that," Alex mumbled, gathering his things. He went to leave for class, but froze when he opened the door. "Um...hi, John." John stood there with his arms crossed, apparently having anticipated Alex's attempt at escape. John simply pointed in the direction of the bedrooms, and Alex groaned, "I can't miss any school."

"Yes you can," John said. "Especially if you're sick." Alex groaned again, going back to his room. "And don't get up again!" John called out before leaving for real. Although he wanted to leave more than anything, Alexander's stomach churned once again, so he decided to stay.

* * *

"I'm back!" John yelled throughout the dorm. He got a loud groan in response. When he went to Alex's room, he found his boyfriend curled up in a ball, with his face in a pillow, and a word-covered notebook next to him. "Are you okay? Alex shook his head slightly.

"It got worse," Alexander said. "Like, it's worse than a hangover."

"That's pretty bad," John concluded. Alex nodded slowly.

"I tried to get some work done, but..." Alex trailed off and gestured to the notebook in front of him.

"I told you to get some rest, baby girl."

"I know...but you know I'm not good at that."

"Yeah," John laughed. "I'll be right back." John left the room, then came back a moment later with a box of colored pencils. He sat on the bed next to his boyfriend, happily allowing him to cuddle against his side. John picked up Alex's notebook and pencil, flipped to a new page, and began sketching.

"What are you doing?" Alex wondered.

"Drawing you a picture."

"...Okay..." Alex gazed fondly at John's face while he drew. "Have I ever told you how much I love your freckles?" Alexander asked. John blinked in surprise.

"No," John laughed. "I don't think you have." Alex reached up, gingerly moving his hands across John's face.

"They're beautiful," Alex stated. "They make you look like a sky of stars, surrounding the gorgeous nebulas that are your eyes. Your pupils are like black holes; deep, mysterious, and so alluring that when people see you, they're pulled to the point of no return, and by then, they don't want to leave anyway. Your smile resembles the sun, lighting up every room you're in. In short, John, you are more breathtaking than the expanse of incredible space that lies before us every day and night." John was speechless by the end of Alexander's spiel.

"Thank you..." John managed to say, eyes still wide. "I wish I could talk like you, but my feelings don't come with words. Just...colors."

"Colors?" Alex inquired. John nodded, opening the box of colored pencils next to him.

"I used to draw a lot more as kid when I...needed a distraction. I started noticing that during certain points in my life, I would use certain colors in my art to reflect the emotions around me." As John explained, he colored his drawing with the corresponding pencils. "For a while, I was a bright, happy yellow, filled with the pink love for my friends and family. And that was okay. Pink and yellow are normal feelings for children, I found out.

"But, as you know, I went through a lot as a kid, and I felt things that someone should never have to feel. Things like purple and blue. The blue came out in the form of tears as my siblings and I would cry ourselves to sleep. The purple was found in screams and hiding places and bruises on our bodies, minds, souls, and hearts.

"Orange was rare. I could barely ever muster up enough of that fiery courage to fight back. Mom could, though. Every time. Whenever I would draw her, her hair would be bright yellow and orange, her cheeks would be a light pink...but her eyes..." John froze for a moment, as if he had just realized something. When he continued, his voice was quiet and it cracked. "Her eyes were _always_ blue..." He didn't talk for a minute. "Or...or I wouldn't color her in at all. I would sometimes leave my mom and siblings as paper-white as their innocent hearts; the opposite of my-of _Henry's_ dark, pure evil soul.

"I never drew him. If I ever did, I would have drawn him with a pencil that was black as night, and his eyes would have been a bright, angry red. Always so full of rage. In reality, his eyes were green in disgust for everyone that wasn't like him. I had to see these colors more than anyone, unfortunately."

John swallowed, his eyes beginning to fill with tears. "Then, Mom died. And everything went gray. Numb. All the colors in my mind either blended together or disappeared. I didn't- _couldn't_ -feel _anything_ for _so_ long..."

For a while, Alexander thought that John had finished talking. He didn't move; even his eyes stayed glued to his drawing. Alex just waited patiently, letting his boyfriend calm down. Eventually, John was able to compose himself and wipe his tears away. He turned his head to smile faintly at Alex, his eyes sparkling with mirth.

"But, then...I met you. All of a sudden, my world was filled with every color imaginable, most of which I hadn't seen in years. And...and you showed me a color I had never seen before: a deep, beautiful red. While bright red was seen in anger, this red is a dark crimson that pumps through my heart and flows out of my mouth in the form of these words that could never compare to yours."

"...What does dark red mean?" Alexander asked, a spark of joy erupting in his chest. John answered while he turned his drawing so Alex could see what it was: a colorful turtle.

"Love."

 **HEY! THIS IS IMPORTANT AND EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ THIS!**

 **Okay...so...bad news...this story has less than ten chapters left, I believe.**

 **AND I'M CRYING! This story is my** **baby. And I know the end is inevitable...but I don't want it.**

 **Anyway...**

 **Um...to quote our beloved Eliza Schuyler:**

 _ **I'm not sorry...**_


	65. Chapter 65

"Boom!" Alexander yelled. "Five points! I win!" Groans echoed around the table, and cards were tossed down.

"What the hell?" John cried. "You learned how to play today."

"It's not my fault you aren't funny." The squad was playing Cards Against Humanity in the cafe, and Alex had won all three times they had played.

"But I was winning!"

"It's funny how fast things change, isn't it?"

"We're playing again," John said, gathering and shuffling the cards.

"Why?" Maria wondered. "Just accept that you can't win."

"No. All or nothing."

"All your cookies? Really?" Alex gasped. John glared at him.

"I won't let you find my secret dessert stash!" John slammed his fist in the table, making the dishes clatter.

"Fine," Angelica grumbled. "One more game. Deal the cards."

John did so, but was interrupted by Eliza standing up and saying, "Hang on. Let me go to the bathroom first." Alex watched her walk away, his eyes catching on something-or rather, someone-across the room.

Thomas Jefferson and James Madison sat at a table closer to the entrance. Alex wondered why they hadn't decided to bother him and his friends for a moment, then saw the "in love" look on Thomas' face.

 _Holy crap...they're on a date._

Alex chose to respect their privacy and look away, his gaze passing over a familiar person wearing a familiar jacket before landing on his phone to check the time.

 _3:08_

 _Tuesday, April 27_

He sighed, knowing that he had to go to another class in less than an hour, yet he was spending his time playing a card game. Then, as he looked around the table at his friends and leaned against John's shoulder, he realized, _I think I'm...happy. How long have I been happy?_ He glanced up at John and found his answer. He smiled.

Then he screamed and jumped at the sound of a gunshot.

" _Everyone, on the ground! Now!_ " As the cafe's patrons scrambled under their tables in panic, Alexander managed to catch a glimpse of the shooter. She stood in front of the door, her weapon aimed at the sky. Though her face showed anger, her eyes were filled with deep fear and sadness. Covering a side of her face was a plume of curly, brown hair that exploded out from under the hood of Alex's old jacket.

"Ariana?" Alex whispered.

"You _know_ her?" John asked.

"I've only met her once, and that was months ago-

"Stop talking!" Ariana shouted. The room silenced at her command. The air grew heavy as she lowered her gun so it faced the room. "Don't talk. Don't move. Don't try anything."

"I'm going to try something," Alex mumbled.

" _What_?" John gasped, grabbing Alexander's hand. "Alex, don't be a hero. _Please_. You could really get hurt." His eyes were wide, begging Alex to stay next to him.

"John..." Alex shook his head and pulled his arm away. "I love you. I'm sorry for being an idiot, I guess."

" _Alexander, please._ " But Alex just kissed John's cheek and stood. He felt all eyes on him as he took a hesitant step forward.

"Stop." Ariana pointed the gun at him, and he froze. "What do you think you're doing?"

"What do you think _you're_ doing?" Alex countered. "If you want people to know that you exist, you're going about it all wrong." Ariana took a few steps towards him.

"What do you know? You aren't me." Something moved from behind Ariana. Alex glanced over to see Thomas beginning to crawl out from underneath a table. He shot Alex a look that read 'Stall.'

So, Alexander did what he did best: He kept talking.

"You're right, I'm not you," Alexander said. "I could never _truly_ understand what you're going through. But, I do know that whatever you feel, it _can_ be helped. Doing this, though: hurting people...this won't give you a better life." Thomas was almost right behind Ariana now. "I'm sure this might feel like the only time you have control over your life, but I swear, it isn't. You've always had control. You don't need to do this." Ariana was quiet for a moment, her grip on her weapon seeming to loosen.

But then she said, "You don't know me."

"Alex, get down," John pleaded, but Alexander was paralyzed.

"This is my one shot at happiness-"

"Alex, _please_."

"And I am _not_ throwing it away."

" _Alexander_."

 _Click._

" _Alex!_ "

 _Boom._

" _No!_ "

Alexander's vision blurred when his head hit the floor. He heard screaming and sirens. He saw people running around and lights flashing. He watched Thomas jump up and tackle Ariana down in slow motion. _Too late_. People ran in. Police and paramedics. One look in Alex's direction and a stretcher was sent over. They ran up to him. Someone knelt in front of him. Alexander shook his head until he could see clearly again, then took the person's hand. They helped Alex to his feet, and he turned to watch the other paramedics lift John's blood soaked body onto the stretcher.

And all at once, everything went gray. Alexander couldn't move or breathe or think. The only color he could see was a dark crimson that had been pumping through John's heart, but now flowed out of his mouth. Not in the form of words, but in the form of blood that seeped through his shirt.

 _"Love."_

Suddenly, the world burst with color. Blue and purple and red and pink and green and black and white exploded in Alexander's mind.

" _John!_ " Alex ran up to his boyfriend before he could be pulled away. He took hold of John's hand, feeling the faintest hint of a pulse. "Oh, God, John. Why...why you? It should have been me..."

"Sir, we need to leave," One of the paramedics said to Alex. He wasn't listening. "You have to let him go." Alex just tightened his grip.

"N-No...no, _no_ , _no!_ " Someone pulled Alexander back, tearing him away from John as he was taken away. " _No, no, no, NO, NO, NO! John!_ " Alex tried to run after them, but he was held back again.

"Alex. Alex, calm down, please. They'll take care of him." Alexander didn't know who was talking to him anymore. He didn't care.

"No. _No. John!_ " Alexander fought out of the grasp he was in, immediately falling to his knees and sobbing. "It should have been me..." Alex mumbled to himself, his hands tightly grabbing his head. "It should have been me...It should have been me...It should have been me..." He hadn't seen John appear next to him when the gun fired. He hadn't felt the shove to the side. He hadn't listened to John when he had told him to stay down. He should have listened. He should have listened. He should have listened. Then John wouldn't be...

 _This is all your fault, Alexander. You could have stopped this if you hadn't focused on your pride._

Alex covered his ears and shut his eyes tight. "No..." he whispered. "I didn't mean to..."

 _Sure you didn't, Alexander. You say that every time._

"I'm sorry..."

 _Are you really? You didn't seem sorry when you made your mother save you instead of saving herself._

"I-I didn't-"

 _Or when your cousin killed himself because he couldn't take living with you._

"That wasn't..."

 _You even used the hurricane as a way to get yourself an better life instead of helping the others. You monster._

"Please, stop..."

 _And now John is going to die too._

"Stop!" Alexander was drowning. Pulled under the waves of hate by the dead people that surrounded him again. He _knew_ they were all in his head. He _knew_ they weren't real.

Yet, he couldn't get them to stop.

After all, they were right, weren't they? Anyone and everyone that Alex was ever close to ended up leaving him one way or another. John was just another link in the chain.

 _All your fault. All your fault. All your fault._

People were calling his name. Louder and louder and louder. He just curled up into a tighter ball. Someone was touching his arm. His head. His back. He flinched away from them all.

 _All your fault. All your fault. All your fault._

Someone was talking in French. It wasn't his mother this time. How nice. So many other voices surrounded him. So many dead people talking to him and walking around.

 _All your fault. All your fault. All your fault._

 _Smack_

Alexander fell over from the force of the slap. He looked up to see the solemn face of Thomas Jefferson. At least it wasn't his father this time. Eliza appeared next to him, explaining what had happened to Alex. Apparently she was able to call the police since she was still in the bathroom. Cool. Great. Good for her. Alexander stopped paying attention. His thoughts were elsewhere.

Alex looked around with dull eyes, having gone numb again. All his friends were talking or crying softly around him. Except for John. They all tried to comfort him. Except for John. They were all okay. Except for John. They were all alive.

For now.

* * *

 _Everything was white. He stood in the middle of an empty abyss, confused. He tried to walk around, but he never got anywhere._

 _"Hello?" He called out, his voice echoing around him. He didn't get an answer. "This is fucking weird-"_

 _"I thought I taught you not to swear like that." He spun around at the woman's voice, finding no one there. For miles in this white expanse, he was the only person there._

 _"Where...?" He kept spinning in circles, desperately searching for the source of the voice._

 _"Careful, dear. You'll make yourself dizzy." The voice laughed._

 _"Where are you?" He shouted into the nothingness around him. The laughter continued as a bright light shone from everywhere at once. He had to cover his eyes in fear of going blind. When the light dimmed, he looked up again, and didn't know if he should scream or cry or smile or vomit._

 _Because there she was._

 _"Mom?"_


	66. Chapter 66

_It's funny how fast things change, isn't it?_

He had said that just minutes before _it_ had happened.

Funny. Yeah. This had better be a joke.

...This _was_ a joke, right?

... _Right_?

Alexander blinked away tears before they could fall. It had been a few days, and although he told everyone that he was fine, he most definitely was _not_ okay. He had been having an unnatural amount of nightmares, especially with the meager amount of sleep he had been getting. He had most of those nightmares during the day when he was awake, though. Daymares? Are daymares a thing? Is daymare even a word?

"Mr. Hamilton, care to answer?" Alexander looked up when his name was called. He had momentarily forgotten that he was in his AP Calculus class. That kept happening, too: him zoning out every two minutes.

"Uh...yeah," Alex examined the board for a minute, his brain barely functioning enough to comprehend the numbers and letters he saw. He answered the problem-something about integrals-and went back to writing his already eight page essay on the wage gap. The other two topics he could have chosen were either about hospitals or the death sentence, but he didn't think having to work on either of those would have helped him. They both reminded him of...of...

 _"Would you trust me to save your life?"_

Alexander jolted awake when a bell rang, signaling the end of class. How long ago had he dozed off? Whatever. It wasn't like he didn't already know everything he needed to for this class. He gathered his things and hurried out of the class before anyone could talk to him. He hurried to his dorm and slammed the door closed behind him. He slid down the door and sat on the ground.

 _You made it, Alexander. You're fine._

 _Funny, you said that after the hurricane._

 _Goddammit._

 _You know who isn't fine?_

 _Shut up._

 _John._

"Leave me alone!"

No answer.

Why would there be? He was taking to himself. Again. Well, he had decided that he was talking to his imagination's version of the dead people from his past.

That didn't sound much better.

Alexander sighed and stood up on wobbling legs. He went to the kitchen, made himself some coffee, and set to work.

* * *

"Angelica is at the hospital right now," Gil said after reading the mentioned girl's texts. "She said that John is alright."

"Still asleep?" Hercules assumed.

"She would tell us if he woke up, non?"

"Yeah." They both sighed. The two of them had taken a walk around campus to clear their heads, but it wasn't working that well. All they could think about was John, wondering if he would be okay. He had undergone an immediate surgery, but based on where the bullet had been, and the fact that the last time he was awake was when he was shot three days ago, it was unclear whether or not he would live.

"I am scared, Hercules," Gil said after a moment of silence.

Gil!" Hercules and Gil turned around to see Thomas and James walking up to them. "Hey, how are you?" Thomas asked.

"We are..." Gil glanced at Herc. "Scared, for sure. Other than that, I believe we are alright." Hercules nodded in agreement.

"Does 'we' include Hamilton?"

"I...uh...I don't know," Hercules admitted.

"I don't think it does." Thomas stated, gaining looks of confusion. "What? Don't tell me you haven't seen him." There was a pause of ashamed silence. "You haven't seen him." Thomas sighed and shook his head. "Some friends you are."

"We're respecting his privacy," Hercules argued.

"Considering the fact that he's still coming to class, I don't think he cares about privacy."

"He's still in class?"

"Yup. I think he's just distracting himself, honestly. You should check on him, though. He...um..."

"He what?"

"He doesn't look good," James spoke up. "He looks utterly exhausted all the time, which isn't much of a change, I suppose...but it's a sick kind of exhausted. And he doesn't talk anymore, which is terrifying, as you can imagine. Sometimes, he just kinda...stares into the distance. Like something is coming for him. It's weird." Gil turned to Herc, fidgeting nervously.

"We will go see him now, then," Gil said, already turning away.

"Wait," Thomas called out. When he had his cousin's attention again, he seemed to falter, rubbing his neck anxiously. "Uh...when you see Hamilton...tell him that I'm sorry I wasn't fast enough." He hesitated, then hurried away with James in tow.

"...Alright..." Hercules mumbled. "Let's go see Alex."

* * *

Gil had been fidgeting the entire walk to Alexander's dorm. He was worried, hoping his friend would be feeling alright. The pit in his stomach assumed otherwise.

Hercules knocked on Alex's door and they waited in silence for a response.

Nothing happened.

He knocked again.

Nothing happened.

He knocked aga-

The door opened just a crack and a dark, wide eye peered at Hercules and Gil from the inside.

"What do you want?" A raspy voice questioned.

"May we come in, Alexander?" Gil asked.

"Why?" Alex squinted suspiciously.

"We just want to see how you're doing," Hercules said.

"I'm fine," Alex said hastily, shutting the door. Before it could close all the way, however, Herc stopped it with his foot, and he and Gil went inside. Alexander had already gotten to the couch, and picked up a notebook and pencil. "I didn't say you could come in."

"Oh well." Hercules glanced around the dorm, finding that it was a complete mess. Crumpled papers, broken pencils, and coffee cups were scattered throughout the room. Alexander himself didn't look much better. His hair was a rat's nest, barely any of the tangles still being held by a hair tie. His skin had become a sickly yellow, a contrast to the purple bags under his eyes. The clothes he wore were old and crumpled. "Are you sure you're alright, Alex?"

"I'm _fine,_ " Alex reiterated. "I'm also busy, so if you don't mind..." He pointed to the door.

"Alex, how much have you written today?" Gil wondered.

"15 pages."

"Then you are not busy. If anything, you need to stop working, and relax. You look awful-"

"Relaxing is for little bitches who can't handle their problems." Alex punctuated his statement by aggressively flipping a page in his notebook, but his breath hitched the second he looked down at the page. For a moment, he stared in fear at what was on it, then he quickly tore the page out. He walked past his friends and dropped the paper face down into the garbage.

"What was that?" Herc asked.

"Just some old writing." The answer was obviously a lie, but Gil and Hercules didn't question any further. Alexander went to the kitchen, picked up one of the still-standing coffee cups, and drank whatever was left in it.

"How much coffee have you had today?" Gil poked one of the empty cups, making it roll across the table. Alex just shrugged as he sat back down to write. "Have you eaten anything? Or at least had any water?"

"Probably," Alex shrugged again.

"How much sleep have you had?" Hercules questioned.

"Some."

"Are you purposely being vague?"

"Are you purposely giving a headache?"

"I do not think that headache is because of us, mon ami," Gil said.

Alexander was in the middle of rolling his eyes when he suddenly shot up and ran to the bathroom. The sound of violent vomiting was heard, queuing Gil to hurry to help his friend. While they were in the other room, curious Hercules reached into the trash can and pulled out the mysterious paper. It had become slightly stained and smudged, but the image on it was still clear: a rainbow-colored sea turtle, signed by John Laurens.

 _Oh._ Hercules folded the paper and put it in his pocket as Gil walked back into the hall, with Alex held at his side. "Is he okay?"

Before Gil could answer, Alex said, " _I'm fine._ " Gil shook his head and pushed the smaller boy into his bedroom. When he came back out, he closed the door behind him and gestured for Hercules to follow him outside. He left the door open a crack while they spoke.

"He is _not_ fine," Gil stated, talking quietly.

"Obviously-"

"No, I mean he is not-" Gil tapped his head-"fine."

"That's obvious, too."

"I am worried for him. Thomas was right: Alexander is working himself to death just so he doesn't have to think about John."

"We have to let him work through this, Gil," Herc argued. "He needs time to cope with the possibili-"

"He needs our help, Hercules!"

"What I _need_ is to be _left alone!_ " Hercules and Gil hadn't realized that Alexander had been listening behind the door until he had yelled at them. Before they could react, the door was slammed shut and locked, and they were stuck outside, just too far away.


	67. Chapter 67

_"I'm dreaming again, aren't I?" He guessed. "I mean, that's the only way you can...unless..."_

 _"Unless?" She pressed._

 _"Unless...unless I'm...am I...?"_

 _"Not yet, dear. Not yet.""_

 _"So...did I..."_

 _"Yes. You saved him." He sighed and dropped his head into his hands, wanting to cry. "Shh..." She brushed back his curls, and the floodgates broke at the contact._

 _"Mom..." He sobbed, "I miss you so much."_

 _"I know. I've missed you, too." She let him cry for a minute. "I am proud of you. You've become such a wonderful, brave, strong young man."_

 _"Thank you," He hiccuped. "I'm only like that because of you."_

 _"That's not true." He wasn't looking at her, but he could hear the smile in her voice. "Your siblings have helped you before, right?"_

 _"Yeah," he nodded. "But they're still at home."_

 _"Your friends, then."_

 _"They're great. The best friends I've ever had." She wiped his tears away, then lifted his head so he was gazing into her bright blue eyes._

 _"What about Alexander?"_

* * *

 **BestSis:** I'm leaving the hospital. John's still ok

 **PEGPEG:** Maria and I will visit him in an hour

 **CinnamonRolls:** We should all go together sometime. I don't even think Alex has gone to see him yet.

 ** _ImmigrantBastard has left the group._**

 **BossB*tch:** there he goes

 **BAGUETTE:** we should all see Alex before we see John together

 **CinnmonRolls:** Why?

 **BAGUETTE:** Hercules and I just saw him. He is not doing well

 **BestSis:** we wouldn't expect any different

 **BAGUETTE:** I am just afraid he will...you know...

 **CinnamonRolls:** He'll be fine. They'll both be fine.

 **BAGUETTE:** how are you so sure?

 **PEGPEG:** not everyone has your optimism, E

 **BestSis:** we'll all check on him tomorrow at 3 ok? I know you're all open

 **BossB*tch:** k

 **PEGPEG:** k

 **MFDemiGOD:** ok

 **CinnamonRolls:** Alright. It's probably for the best.

 **BAGUETTE:** I just hope we can make him feel better

* * *

Alexander was rapidly getting further and further from better. He had lost all ability to focus on anything but...

 _"Seriously John, how did you find me?" Alexander wondered._

 _"I don't know," John shrugged. "I just kind of...did." Alex turned around to gaze fondly at John, even though his back was turned to him._

 _Then, all in the space of a split-second, several things happened in rapid succession. Alex heard a click and spun around to face where the noise had come from. He saw that the person who had been chasing him earlier had picked up the gun that Alexander had put down. Alex didn't have enough time to react before a bullet sped towards him._

 _And tore straight through John._

Alexander fell out of his chair when he woke up. He merely shook the exhaustion away when his back hit the floor. He couldn't afford to sleep. He had too much work to do. His plan was to get so far ahead in his classes that within the next month, he would have finished whatever would be due next Christmas.

 _"Christmas number one; check."_

 _"Christmas number one?" John inquired._

 _"Well, yeah." Alex said shyly, "I mean, I assume we'll be spending more than one Christmas together, right?" John smiled softly and stepped closer._

 _"Of course we will. I promise."_

As he pushed the memory out of his mind, Alexander decided, _Promises shouldn't be made. They're never kept; always broken._ He picked up a notebook and pencil, preparing to work on...something... What was he going to do? He looked out the window in the hopes of jogging his memory, and couldn't help recalling how the outside world looked just months prior when it was covered with beautiful, innocent snow.

 _As soon as they stepped foot outside, Alex flopped onto the ground, and lay on his back giggling. John copied his actions, then moved to make a snow angel. When he stood, he watched Alexander make a snow angel, stand, slip on the ice, and fall back down. John laughed at him, gaining a glare. Suddenly, John was on the ground, with snow in his ear, and a smug Alexander next to him._

 _"That's what you get for laughing at me," Alex said, giving John a kiss. They rose together, then looked back at their snow angels. John's looked fine, whereas Alex's was just a mess of snow. "Aw, that's not fair," Alexander whined. "Yours is actually an angel."_

 _"And yours looks like your brain shattered while you were making it," John snickered._

 _How ironic..._

Alexander took a deep breath, attempting to clear his head of the intruding thoughts. He took several deep breaths, actually. Some would even say that he was hyperventilating. He couldn't see; his vision had gotten blurry. He wiped his face clean of tears, wondering, _Crying? When did I start crying? Why am I crying?_ Even when his face was dry, he still saw some stars. His head was buzzing. He was shaking. Why?

Why did he feel so sick and tired?

Why couldn't he focus on his work?

Why was he still standing here instead of in the hospital, checking on John?

Why wasn't he in the hospital instead of John?

Why was John in the hospital in the first place?

Why, why, _why_?

 _Why would you do that to him?_

His body suddenly relaxed, though his heart and mind were still pounding.

He had remembered what he needed to work on.

* * *

 **I don't like to make author's notes during chapters like this, but I need to address some things that I have seen too many times, and I'm going to try my best to be civil about this.**

 **If you don't like someone's story, that's fine. you can easily stop reading it instead of reading the entire thing just to say something mean about it at the end.**

 **Pure hatred is _not_ synonymous with constructive criticism. Constructive criticism is perfectly fine, accepted, even, as long as you be nice about it. Creative people need it to be able to get better at their work. Compliments are extremely uplifting, as well, even if they are small. Anything even partially kind can make someone's day.  
**

 **Every artist, author, singer, dancer, whatever-they care about what they do. Do _not_ make them think that doing what they love will only lead to horrible things.**

 **I never have, and never will, advocate hate of any kind to anyone. Bullying-verbal or physical or through the internet-is _not_ okay. If you don't like something or someone, that's fine, but you don't lower yourself so far that you become an ass about it. Don't act like Jefferson and shit on people just because you can.**

 **Please be good people, because if I find out that any of you are sending out hate to others, _I will tear you apart_.**

 **Personally, I don't care all that much about being made fun of. I work entirely through spite. Those who hate me probably aren't reading this, but thanks for hating me, because it will only make me write more.**


	68. Chapter 68

It was his fault, of course. He knew that. He had pulled John out in front of him and used him like a shield, then watched remorselessly as he bled out and died. At least, that's what his memory was telling him he had done. Then again, his memory hadn't been very good recently.

He had a cut on his wrist, and he had no idea why. He didn't remember ever falling over or...anything else, really. His thoughts were blurring together until they were completely incomprehensible. He couldn't even read his own handwriting anymore, but whether that was caused by his shaking hands or his fuzzy, spotted vision was anybody's guess. He couldn't hear anything but his own self-hatred and the waves that crashed through his mind, giving him unbearable headaches.

Oh, yeah, and someone was breaking into his dorm. He had been ignoring the texts, calls, and knocks on the door, so now they had decided to come in on their own accord. He wasn't going to try to stop them anymore.

Peggy was the first to walk in, tripping over a pile of trash when she did. The rest of the group followed close behind her, finding Alexander sitting lithely on the couch with his head in his hands. There was a minute or two of awkward silence before Alexander surprised everyone by speaking first.

"You all want to know how I am, right? Well, I'm fine." They all stared at him for a moment.

"You do realize that you're literally shaking right now, right?" Maria asked.

"You have not been sleeping or eating," Lafayette mentioned. "And you got sick _while_ Hercules and I were here."

"We're worried about you, Alex," Angelica said. "You can't just ignore reality, and you certainly can't just let yourself self-destruct like this." Alexander shook his head.

"I'm not-"

"We get that you're upset about what happened to John-"

 _Crack_. Alex flinched at the sharp pain in his head and chest.

"But if you keep going like this, you'll end up in the hospital, too."

 _Crack_.

"Please, stop talking about it," Alexander begged as he stood and went to the table to drink more coffee, the only thing he was surviving on anymore.

"This isn't something you can just avoid, Alex."

 _He's going to die. It's inevitable._

 _Crack._

"You should at least go see him, mon ami."

 _All your fault. All your fault. All your fault._

 _Crack._

"Um...Alex?"

 _You just couldn't keep your mouth shut, could you?_

 _Crack._

The voices had begun to blend together. Eliza was calling his name...or was it his mother? No, that couldn't be right. His mother was dead.

 _Crack_.

And so was his cousin.

 _Crack_.

And so was his home town and so was John and so was he.

 _Crack. Crack. Crack._

"Alex, are you okay?"

 _Snap_.

Alex leaned against the chair in front of him, gripping the back of it until his knuckles turned white. His blank stare was suddenly replaced by a wide, too-happy smile. He shifted his eyes between his friends, finding panic in each of their faces. Without warning, he threw the chair to the floor and yelled, " _I'm fucking fantastic!_ " His friends jumped back in surprise. "My boyfriend is dying because of me, my brain is breaking even more than it already has, and I want to _die._ So, yeah, I'm just _peachy!_ " Alex grabbed at the sides of his head, tugging on his hair. Eliza hesitantly took a step towards him.

"Alex, calm down," Eliza said softly. "John should be just fine, and you need to take care of yourself."

Alexander slowly turned to her, gazing lifelessly into her eyes, before slapping her across the face. Everyone gasped while he just stood there, staring.

"How much of an idiot can you be?" Alexander shouted. "Everyone who gets even moderately close to me leaves me in one way or another. My parents, and now... _John_." He could barely say the name. "And next, it'll be you-" He pointed at Eliza, then Angelica-"then you. Then you and you and you and you..." Alexander spun around, facing each of his friends in turn.

Then he started laughing, almost nervously.

Then he screamed as if in pain and fell to his knees. A flood of emotion washed over him, making him sob relentlessly. For a moment, he didn't care about work that had to be done or events that he had to ignore.

"...Alexander?" Eliza called out.

"Leave me alone." Alexander had no clue why Eliza would still try to help him after all he had done.

"No, Alex-"

" _Leave me alone._ " He sighed shakily. "Just...just let me deal with this...please..." Alexander was still muttering pleas for peace long after everyone had left.

* * *

 _"Alexander? I've been in love with him for months." He couldn't help but smile._

 _"I can tell," she said. "And he loves you as well, I assume?"_

 _"I'm pretty sure. I'm also sure he's freaking out right now."_

 _"You want to go back to him, then?"_

 _"Well, yeah, if I can." He hesitated. "But I...I want to stay with you for a while. It's been so long since you..." She sighed and wrapped an arm around his shoulders._

 _"I'm so sorry I left you like that," she whispered, "but you can't leave him the same way."_

 _"I know, and I don't want to, but...sometimes I wonder how happy I would be if I could stay with you forever, no matter how."_


	69. Chapter 69

Alexander couldn't tell if it had been one day or two since his friends had visited him. All he knew was that he was so, _so_ tired. He had given up on trying to get any work done, and had even stopped going to class, yet he still wouldn't allow himself more than two hours of accidental sleep a day. All day, he simply sat around, thinking. In retrospect, thinking was probably not the best thing for him to do right now.

When he heard the front doorknob jiggling in the middle of the day, he couldn't help but wonder how Peggy would be able to be an elementary school teacher with her track record. The door swung open, and Peggy and Maria ran inside with panicked looks on their faces.

"Dude, do you not care or have you just been ignoring our texts?" Peggy questioned as soon as she saw him. One of Alexander's few clear memories was of him turning his phone off the night before, so he just asked for an explanation on what was happening. "Eliza has been freaking out and telling everyone to get to the hospital ASAP, but she won't say why, so we kinda need to go _now_." It took a moment for Alex's brain to comprehend her words, but when it did, he stumbled out of the room as fast as he could. The three of them ran out of the building and piled into Peggy's car. Alexander had barely closed the vehicle's door when Peggy started speeding down the street.

None of them spoke on the way to the hospital, but their thoughts were loud enough for them all to hear. _What is going on? Is John okay? Why won't Eliza explain what happened? Is John okay? Will we make it in time? Is John okay? Is John okay? Is John okay?_ They could only come up with one answer for all of their questions: _I don't know._

As soon as they got to the hospital, Maria, Peggy, and Alex sprinted inside and up to John's floor. Despite never visiting, Alexander immediately knew which room to go to; multiple doctors were hurrying in and out, talking to one another and looking over paper after paper. Alex pushed past them, ignoring the sight of his friends standing by the door.

When he saw his boyfriend's body still laying on the bed, Alexander choked out, "J-John?"

 _Oh, God...Oh, my God...John..._

All he could hear was a heartbeat, completely unsure if it was his own or if it came from the monitor next to John's bed.

 _Bu-Bump. Bu-Bump. Bu-Bump._

But then...

"Hey, Alex."

The world froze. He saw pink and orange and yellow and so much love-filled crimson. He was running and crying and kissing John and hugging him with all his might.

At least, until John flinched and let out a soft, pained groan.

"Sorry," Alex mumbled, pulling his arm away from John's side.

"It's alright." John's voice was raspy and his eyes were shimmering with tears.

"No, it's not," Alexander argued. "You can't really afford to be hurt anymore than you already are, but here I am, freaking out and fucking everything up. Again. Jesus, I'm going to be the death of you, aren't I? I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry, John. I don't know why I even tried to help in the first place. I should've known-"

"Alex." John smirked up at Alexander when he froze mid-rant.

"Y-Yeah?"

"Shut up and kiss me again."

He did just that.

* * *

Alexander hated hospitals. The constant white-painted walls hurt his eyes after staring at them too long, the whole building was filled with that foul, too-sterile smell, and John was still stuck there. On the other hand, Alexander loved the hospital, because everything about it had managed to help John get better.

Alex had been visiting the hospital every day for a week during every spare moment he had. If he couldn't get a ride, he took the bus. If he didn't make the bus, he waited for another. Anything to be able to see John again. Anything to talk to John about the most random things, simply to hear his voice. Anything to be able to watch over John as he recovered, making sure nothing went wrong ever again.

"I was dreaming," John told him one day. "I was in this big, empty, white void, and-and my mom was there. She kept reminding me how much I love you and our friends and my siblings..." He sucked in a breath. "I-I felt like I had a choice. Like, I could decide whether or not I woke up."

"And you did," Alex smiled. John shifted uncomfortably in the bed, looking away. "What?"

"Alex...I missed her so much...I told her I wanted to stay with her..." A bolt of shock ricocheted throughout Alexander's body. Before he could respond, John continued, "It was a heat of the moment decision. I don't actually want to leave you, I just hadn't seen her in so long and-" Alex gently took John's hand.

"I understand," Alexander whispered. "I'd give anything to see my mother again in someplace other than a nightmare." John nodded.

"Speaking of your nightmares, Eliza told me what had been going on with you while I was asleep." Panic bubbled up inside of Alexander again. "Alex, you were _not_ fine." He sounded exhausted. "No matter how much you argue against it, you were _not_ okay."

"I-I know," Alex sighed. "I thought I could deal with it-"

"Refusing to sleep and eat isn't how you deal with things."

"I know." Alex looked down in shame.

"Alex, don't get all offended by this, but I think you need to see a doctor. A therapist or something."

"What? But-"

"You were talking to yourself, Alex. And when it rains-"

"I get it."

"I'm just saying, I won't always be around to help you calm down. It'd be preferred if you got better, at least somewhat."

"Okay, okay. You're right. I'll get some help. _After_ you get out of here."

"Deal." John gave Alex one more stern look, then grinned. "You'd better get going. Your class starts soon, right?"

"Yeah," Alexander grumbled as he stood. "See you later." He kissed John for a second or two or five, then parted their lips and he headed for the door. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

 **All I have to say after all of this:**

 ** _MWAHAHA!_**


	70. Chapter 70

It took a while for John to be able to walk without crutches (he barely could _with_ the crutches), meaning he was stuck in his hospital room for days. Fortunately, to keep him from dying of boredom, his friends visited him often and Alex even brought him his school work so he stayed caught up.

When John was in physical therapy, Alex was by his side every literal step of the way, encouraging him even when he fell. Every time he took a step that put weight on his injured side, Alexander rewarded him with a gentle kiss. It actually didn't take too long for John to get used to the stab of pain that he felt every so often, but Alex never really did.

The day John got back from the hospital, Alex supported him as they went to the dorm and made sure he was comfortable when he sat down on the couch. He stopped aggressively fluffing the pillows when John began laughing at him.

"What?" Alexander asked. John just laughed harder, ignoring the sting in his abdomen when he did so.

"You're wonderful." Alex's face went red as he headed to the kitchen, returning with a glass of water and a few pills. John pouted, "Do I _have_ to? They're gross."

"Doctor's orders." Alex held the medicine out farther. John rolled his eyes, swallowed the pills, and washed them down by chugging the water. "Thank you." Alex took the glass and put it on the table. When he came back, he started playing Snow White on the TV (it had the most problems to complain about, in his opinion), then snuggled up next to John, being sure to avoid his injury. As John mindlessly played with his hair, Alexander relished in the sound of his heartbeat and the feel of his soft breathing. He sighed happily, nuzzling against John's neck.

"How many Disney movies do you have?" John and Alex both yelped in surprise at hearing Hercules' voice. They turned to see the whole squad walking inside their dorm.

"I swear to God, Peggy," John said darkly. "If you do this again, I'm calling the police."

"It wouldn't be the first time," Peggy shrugged as she went to take a soda from the boys' fridge. "Besides, I didn't even need to pick the lock this time. You left it unlocked." Lafayette changed the subject.

"You two are adorable," the Frenchman cooed. Alex realized that he and John were still cuddled together.

"Of course we are, you piece of trash," Alex responded. Laf gasped.

"How _dare_ you? I am a _fabulous_ piece of trash."

"Oh, _of course._ How could I make such a mistake? _Please_ , forgive me."

"I may not understand some of your expressions, but I still understand sarcasm."

"If you keep arguing," Eliza cut in, "you'll make the cake go bad."

"Cake?" John and Alex both perked up. Eliza stepped forward to reveal the pastry in her hands. John gasped when he saw that it looked like a turtle.

"You know me so well!" John smiled widely. A notable air of comfort passed through the room because of the boy's excitement. "What are you all staring at me for? Let's party!"

"Not yet," Eliza said, setting the cake down far away from John." We're still waiting for a few people."

"Lame." John stuck his tongue out as he tried to stand. Alex jumped to his feet and held out his his hands. John took them, flinching a bit when he was lifted to his feet. Seeing the worry that appeared on his boyfriend's face, John leaned forward and pecked him on the lips. Turning to the rest of his friends, he wondered, "Who else is coming?" Eliza opened her mouth to speak, halting when a soft knock sounded at the door. Angelica opened it, and two people stepped inside.

"Well, if it isn't Aaron Burr, sir," Alexander snickered. Aaron nodded while the girl at his side giggled and shook her head, her braids flying around her shoulders. "Ah, and Miss Theodosia. A pleasure seeing you on good terms this time."

"Dodging a speeding car isn't good terms?" Theodosia joked.

"Why exactly are you here, Burr?" John asked.

"Eliza invited us," the man answered.

"Of course she did." John narrowed his eyes teasingly at the mentioned girl.

"I figured that everyone who we even remotely like should come see you, John," Eliza smiled innocently.

"So, Burr and his girlfriend, who I barely ever see, and...who else?"

"Um...well, there's also-" A not-as-soft knock cut her off this time. She hesitated to go open the door, but did so nonetheless.

"How long does it take to open a goddamn door?" Jefferson grumbled as he walked inside, Madison close on his heels. They both hurried in a beeline for Alex and John, stopping just a couple feet away.

"Jefferson." Alex sneered.

"Hamilton." Surprisingly, Thomas' face only showed a small amount of hatred. "How are you?" Alex blinked in shock.

"Uh...what?" Alexander sputtered. Thomas rolled his eyes.

"How. Are. You?" Jefferson drew out his words as if Alexander couldn't speak English.

"Um..." Alex glanced at John. "I'm fine." Both Thomas and James raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "What?"

"You say that a lot."

"It's true this time. I'm good." Thomas squinted at him before facing John, giving him a once over.

"You look well."

"I am," John said. Thomas' face softened.

"Good."

"Why are you here?" Alex questioned. "Even more concerning: Why do you suddenly care about our health?"

"Eliza, and...I don't know. I guess I... _felt bad_." He spat out the words like they were poisoned. Alex snorted. "If you don't want my condolences, that's fine. I didn't want to be here anyway." Jefferson made to leave, gesturing for Madison to follow. Eliza glared at Alexander, who groaned, knowing what she wanted him to do.

"Thomas, wait." Jefferson froze in his tracks, James nearly bumping into him. "You can stay. Eliza made enough cake, I suppose." Alexander mentally face palmed the moment Thomas twirled around with his signature shit-eating grin on his face.

"Why, thank you for your hospitality, good sir. Oh! Snow White!" Thomas skipped over to the couch, plopping down onto it.

"Yeah, sure, make yourself at home," Alex muttered.

"Now that everyone is here," Eliza said, "we can have some cake!" The girl set to slicing the confection, handing out the pieces on small paper plates. James brought one to Thomas, who was firmly planted to his seat. Alexander was forced to sit next to him when John sat on the other end of the couch. The rest of the squad-including Aaron and Theodosia-gathered around them to watch the movie, some sitting on the floor and some leaning against the back of the chair.

"Snow White just got to the Dwarves' house, right?" Maria asked, getting several nods in response. "Cool. I always hated them."

"Why?" Aaron wondered.

"Because, think about it: Not only is their initial response to an intruder to brutally murder them with an axe, once they see that the intruder is a _14 year old girl,_ these gross, old men start acting like she's the best thing in the world. And when do you think was the last time a woman was willingly in their house? What do you think they'll try to do now that she's there?" A heavy silence filled the room.

"Sweet Jesus."

"Exactly."

"Huh. The only problem I could ever think of was whether they grew into how they were named," Alex was saying, "or if they were named _after_ they showed those personality traits."

"Also that the movie says that it's okay to give silly nicknames to little people."

"Maria, could you try _not_ to be a downer?" Thomas groaned.

"For once, I agree," Alexander sighed. "We've gone through a ton of shit this year. Let's just enjoy being broke college students who are barely adults, eating cake, and watching a children's movie from the 30s."

"Cheers!" John cried out, raising his hand as if he were holding a drink. The rest of them followed suit, smiles on all of their faces. They all downed their imaginary shots and John actually hiccuped, making them laugh.

For hours, the group of barely-adults sat talking and laughing and enjoying being around each other. Well, until Thomas and Alex got into an argument that somehow involved Lafayette at one point. The three of them slipped into French, then Thomas stuttered while yelling at Alex, and they burst into giggles.

"Wet cheese?" Alex snickered. "That's the worst thing you could call me?"

"All you did was call me stupid," Jefferson countered.

They continued on without any more fights until late at night when they decided to part ways. John and Alexander were left alone in their dorm, still cuddling on the couch. Neither of them spoke for a while, content with simply being in each other's presence.

"Hey, John?" Alex whispered into the dark of the room, the only light coming from the movie that was still playing. He was resting against his boyfriend's shoulder, feeling him shift to answer.

"Yes, Love?"

"I'm really glad you're alright."

"I'm glad, too."

"Why did you do it, John? You almost di-"

"Because I love you, Alex. Like, God, I love you so damn much. When it happened, I didn't even think. I just felt myself moving and then nothing else. I guess I subconsciously knew that you deserved more than me-"

"Don't you dare say that. That can't be further from the truth."

"You still don't deserve to die."

"Neither do you."

"Alright, but if the situation arises, I would rather die so you can live your life."

"Stop saying things like that. You can't just throw away your life because of a dumb relationship." They went quiet.

"...A dumb relationship?" John's voice was soft and filled with worry.

"You know I don't think that," Alexander sighed. "I'm just frustrated and sad and...sorry."

"It's okay."

"Can you just promise me you won't do anything like that again?"

"Alex, I can't-"

"At least say it so I feel better."

"I promise I won't do anything like that again."

"Thank you." They wrapped their arms around each other, holding one another tightly for a moment. Finally, "Do you want to go to bed?"

"Sure." Alex helped John up, turned off the TV, then walked with him to his bedroom. They lay next to each other in a calm silence, unmoving, breathing softly. After about ten minutes of that, John turned over and held himself up so that he hovered above Alex, their faces mere inches apart.

"What are you doing?" Alex asked with a smirk.

"Shh..." John tiredly lowered his head until his lips met Alexander's. He straddled the smaller boy's hips, slipping his hands under Alex's shirt to grip his sides. Alex pulled away, gasping for air.

"John, we can't do anything until you're fully healed."

"The doctors never said anything about making out." John passionately kissed Alex again, the latter letting out a small noise because of the suddenness. He threw his arms around John's neck, deepening the kiss, hoping it would go on forever. However, all good things must come to an end, and this end happened to occur when the boys could no longer breathe. They separated, but John kept planting tiny kisses to Alex's neck and jaw, whispering a quiet "I love you" between each one. He finished with one more kiss on the lips, after which he said, "I love you so, _so_ much, Alex."

"I love you more, John."

"You can let yourself believe that all you want, but I totally love you more." Alex started laughing. "What?"

"We sound like a newly married couple." John gazed at him, eyes full of mirth.

"That would be nice." With that, John laid back down and closed his eyes, falling asleep with a faint smile still on his face.

In the final moments before Alexander drifted off as well, he let his mind wander wherever it pleased.

 _It's only been one year of college, yet so much has happened...I've made friends and enemies-okay, the enemies part isn't all that surprising-and I got an amazing boyfriend, too!_ That _was completely unexpected. So was him almost dying, but I think I'll just try to ignore that._

 _To to think this all happened to me, a bastard, orphan, immigrant...this really is where dreams come true: In New York._

Alex glanced at John again, smiling at the sight.

 _Who cares if all good things come to an end? The End takes a long time to arrive, anyway._

 **Sorry this took so long. I had the most extreme writer's block for a while. I wasn't expecting this chapter to be this long, but I am expecting the last one to be even longer, so prepare for that. Then again...just one more? I'm gonna cry.**


	71. Epilogue

**Be prepared for a TON of flashbacks.**

 ** _Three Years Later..._**

The sun shone brightly, casting dark shadows that followed the two boys as they walked through the park. Their arms were hooked together, keeping them close to one another. They had stayed together all this time, growing happier every day. Now, they would be graduating in two weeks, so they had decided to spend some time together on a calm walk around town, talking about anything they thought of.

"I'm just saying," John said, "my apartment isn't too far from King's. You could easily stay with me instead of having to live in a dorm with some stranger."

"I don't know..." Alexander looked away. "I wouldn't want to burden you. You bought the apartment, after all."

"What makes you think I'd be burdened by you? You're my boyfriend." Alex shrugged. "We've shared a dorm for the past four years, what makes this any different?"

"I guess it isn't...But, still..." They fell into silence for a moment. "It's been four years? Really?"

"I know. It doesn't feel like it's been that long."

"Yet, so much has happened."

"So many really weird things that we've done."

"Yeah, like that stupid Halloween party in our second year."

"Oh, my gosh," John bust out laughing. "I completely forgot about that!"

"I'm still upset that I actually had to dress up."

"The sisters planned it; what did you expect?"

 ** _/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_**

"No."

" _Please_?"

" _No_." Alex said again. "I'm not wearing a costume. Especially not that." Eliza frowned, looking over the outfit in her hands.

"It's because Laf picked it out, isn't it?"

"It's because I'm not a child!"

"Neither am I, but I'm still wearing one." This was true: Eliza wore a dress that was covered in blue and white daisies, and sky blue fairy wings. She had even gone as far as to put on sparkling make up and to curl her hair. "Besides, you can't come unless you wear a costume."

"I guess I'm not going, then."

"Ten minutes!" Peggy called from the bathroom, where she was helping John with his costume.

"Please, Alex?" Eliza begged. "It won't be that bad, I swear."

Alexander was in the middle of shaking his head when John hollered, "Who am I supposed to dance with if you don't come?" Alex froze, thinking.

" _Fine_ ," the boy growled, snatching the costume from Eliza and storming into his room to change. Several minutes later, he opened his door, in full costume, and very unhappy.

" _Boo_!" Alex shrieked and jumped back when John suddenly appeared in front of him.

"What the hell, John?" John couldn't answer for a while, because he was laughing so hard.

"Scaredy cat!" John squealed. "Get it? 'Cause you're a lion?"

"Yeah, I get it," Alex hissed. He finally got a good look at John's costume: a zombie. Unfortunately, Peggy did an amazing job at making John look like he should be dead by smearing fake blood all over him. It made Alex sick to his stomach. It had been half a year, but John's near-death experience was still fresh in Alexander's mind. "Why a zombie?"

"What? You don't like it?" John crossed his eyes, stuck his tongue and arms out, and moaned, "Braaaains!"

"Shut up!"

 _ **/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**_

"That wasn't funny!" Alex cried after the story had been recounted. "It was scary!"

"That's the point, Alex," John snickered. "Although, you thought Sweeney Todd was hilarious, for some reason."

"Because it is."

 ** _/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_**

" _You_ got the lead?" Jefferson asked, appalled.

" _You_ like musical theater?" Alexander countered.

"What made you think we didn't?"

"I don't know. Probably the fact that you're a total d-"

"Alex!" Angelica shouted. "It's your cue!" Alex glared at Thomas and James again before hurrying on stage to read his lines. When Eliza had told the squad that she and her sisters participated in a local community theater, everyone had excitedly asked to join, especially since the show was Sweeney Todd. Then, most of them had gotten lead roles, apart from Hercules and Maria, who were part of the stage crew.

During a rehearsal, Lafayette, who was playing Perrelli, tripped while he was on the set and fell backwards into the curtains. Thankfully, Hercules had been standing there, and he caught Lafayette as if he was a princess. It was super romantic...besides the fact that the set was barely a foot off the ground.

Then, during the first show, Alexander was almost late for his cue in the scene where he was to be 'killed' by Aaron. Maria had found him and John in some corner making out, and told them that whatever they were about to do would ruin their costumes. Alex ran onto the stage blushing.

 ** _/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_**

"I'm surprised Aaron never actually killed you," John said.

"What? Why would he want to do that?"

"You two fought a lot."

"Usually just as part of our class."

"Sure..."

 ** _/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_**

When John walked into his dorm, he found himself in the middle of a discussion-no, argument-no, fight between his boyfriend and Aaron Burr. John just stared as Alex began yelling every time Burr tried to speak, and Burr snarled at each interruption.

"Um...what's going on?" John asked. The others silenced, looked at him, then started talking over each other again. "Guys." Neither seemed to hear him. "Hello?" Still no response. " _Stop_!" Finally, the two fighters focused on John. "Okay, Burr, you're the calm one. What is happening?"

"Mr. Washington had us do mock debates in class today," Aaron explained, "and the two of us still can't find a compromise."

" _Compromise_?" Alex laughed bitterly. "You're just wrong!"

"What was the debate about?" John sighed. Burr hesitated to answer.

"Who would win? Aliens or robots?" John blinked and groaned.

"Are you serious?"

"I know, right? Aliens would totally win!" Alexander cried.

"We don't even know if aliens exist yet," Aaron mentioned, "let alone intelligent ones."

"And how are those sentient robots coming?"

"They don't need to be sentient. We can program them to do whatever we want."

"You think aliens wouldn't be able to reprogram them?"

"I've heard enough!" John shouted, shutting the boys up. "This is stupid. World War III is coming, the planet is dying, and you two think the end of the world will be caused by aliens that control robots. Get a hold of yourselves." Alex turned his head down in shame while Aaron flushed red. "Burr, you should leave before Alex starts trying to punch you."

 ** _/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_**

"I almost did," Alex recalled, "once I realized that aliens can drop bombs that use elements we don't know about-"

"Alex?"

"Yeah?"

"I still don't care."

"Okay, then." They both giggled.

"Man, second year was crazy."

"Third year was crazier. And the beginning of the year sucked."

"Are you still bitter because you lost that bet?"

"No!"

 _ **/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**_

"You've said a whole lot of stupid bullshit, but this is by far the stupidest bullshit I've ever heard." Alex crossed his arms defiantly.

"It's not my fault you don't understand true love," Jefferson cooed.

"Jack and Rose are _not_ an example of true love!" Alexander slammed his fist on the desk. "And I'll bet that most of the people in here agree with me." Jefferson perked up, a smirk on his face.

"You'll _bet_?" Alex nodded fervently. "Whoever loses is the winner's servant for a week."

"What?"

"Do you bet or not?"

Alex thought for a moment. Was he really willing to bet on this dumb argument and risk being made a fool of? Would he keep his word if he lost? Would he absolutely _ruin_ Jefferson if he won?

 _Yes, maybe, and oh, hell yeah._

So, they asked Mr. Washington to take a vote from the class for them. The verdict: 29 to 30.

Jefferson won.

 _Shit_.

 ** _/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_**

"He kept making me wash his clothes and cook mac and cheese for him," Alex complained. John raised an eyebrow. "Okay, maybe I'm still a little bitter about losing. He wouldn't let me live it down all year. Going to South Carolina was such a relief."

"You liked it there?"

"Of course I did."

 ** _/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_**

"This is it," John stated as he opened the tall, metal gate. The steel was warm because of the South Carolina heat. The boys had decided to visit the state for spring break, mainly because John had wanted Alexander to meet someone. They walked slowly, hand-in-hand, through the rows of graves, many of which were unreadable from being worn down by the weather. Her's wasn't.

 _Eleanor Laurens ~ The Most Amazing Mother We Could Have Asked For_

"I'm sure she was," Alex whispered. John simply nodded, tears forming in his eyes. Alexander turned away from him, instead focusing on the grave in front of him, the colorful flowers around it, the serenity of the cemetery surrounding him, the group of children running closer.

" _John!_ " Upon hearing his name, the boy spun to face the voice just before it tackled him with a hug.

"M-Martha?" John gasped. The girl he held tightly looked just like him, ponytail and all. The two other boys looked nearly the same, with dirty blond hair and blue eyes, but one's hair was curly while the other's was straight, and the former had freckles while the latter wore glasses. The last, a little girl, had straight, brown hair and wide, excited eyes. They surrounded and hugged John, the smallest only able to reach his legs. John bent down and picked her up, holding her at his hip. "Hey, Mary. You remember me?" The little girl nodded.

"I helped you when you were sad, 'member?" Mary said. Alex remembered when John had told him that his siblings had saved him from suicide so many times.

"I do." John smiled. "You were so little then, though. You could barely speak. Now, look at you! How old are you now? 18?" Mary giggled.

"No! Marta is 18! I'm 7!"

"Oh, of course." John looked down at the two boys in front of him. "That means...Henry is 14 and James is 12, right?" The boys nodded. John's face fell. "I missed so much..."

"Hey, no, don't feel bad." Martha placed a hand on John's shoulder. "It's not like you could just waltz into the house whenever you wanted. I mean, when we found out you were visiting, we had to wait for Dad to pass out before we could come find you. Henry knew you'd go to Mom first."

"Is he still...?"

"Yeah. Not as much, but...I make sure they're locked in their rooms when he gets mad."

"Thank you." John kissed Martha on the forehead, and it was then that Alex finally put all the pieces together.

"These are your siblings?" Alex guessed, taking a step forward.

"Yeah." The kids turned to Alexander, Martha giving him a suspicious glare.

"Who're you?" She questioned. John answered before Alex could.

"This is Alexander...my boyfriend." Martha's eyes slowly widened to the size of dinner plates and a wide smile suddenly formed on her face.

"Oh. My. God!" Martha squealed and jumped around, flailing her arms. "This is amazing! How long?"

"A couple years-"

"No me diga...A couple years? That's great!" Martha gave her older brother another hug. "I'm so happy for you!" She turned to Alex, holding out her hand. "Martha Laurens. A pleasure to meet you."

"Um...Alexander Hamilton. A pleasure, indeed." Martha snickered when he shook her hand, then, out of nowhere, dropped the giddy persona and yanked Alex towards her, whispering menacingly in his ear.

"If you do anything to hurt him, I will tear out your intestines and use them to hang you. Got it?" Alex, now frightened, gulped and nodded. "Good. And if he does anything to you, steal his phone and call me. We can roast him together." She patted Alexander on the shoulder, then backed away to introduce her younger siblings.

When Alex gave a little wave to Mary, the girl appeared to be studying him, then John, then Alex again. Finally, she stated, quite matter-of-factly, "John likes you." John blushed as Alex laughed.

"I know," Alex said, smiling at both Mary and John. "I like him, too."

They decided to take a walk around the town, showing Alexander all the landmarks of their home. After Martha had mentioned that she learned how to read when she was three, Alex got into a surprisingly intellectual conversation with Henry and James. Then, they went to a small park so Mary could play. She had insisted that she be a knight and Alex be a dragon, and the boy couldn't help but to oblige. He knew John and Martha were watching him while he playfully roared and ran around, and he heard them talking, too.

"You really do like him, huh?" Martha observed. "I can see it in your eyes."

"Yeah, I do," John chuckled.

"Hell, I'd venture to say that you _love_ him."

"I do."

"Good. You keep doing that. I can tell he needs the love just as much as you do."

"I'm better now, you know? Because of him, mostly. I've got some friends, too."

"That's good."

"...He always says this, but...do you think he loves me as much as I love him?"

"I should slap you right now."

"Why?"

"Of course he does! It's so obvious!"

"I mean, yeah, I guess. But, there's always a little doubt."

"He _adores_ you, John. I can tell."

"You can tell a bunch of things."

"Yeah...except, I could never tell why, a few years ago, we got a call saying that you were in the hospital because of a bullet wound. Care to explain?"

Alexander stopped listening.

 _ **/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**_

John smiled softly at the memory of his siblings. "They're so crazy," he laughed.

"Yeah, but, I didn't mind," Alex shrugged.

"I miss them, Alex, and I feel terrible. Henry, James, and Mary are still stuck in that house, I can't visit or call...I can't even send them a fucking Christmas present..." John's eyes watered, his face flustered and angry. Alexander hurried to change the subject.

"Speaking of, last Christmas was insane."

 _ **/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**_

"Que pensez-vous de la France?"

"She asked how you feel about France," Gil translated for his grandmother, Anne-Marie. **I made that up-go with it.** He had brought Hercules with him to France the year prior, and now had brought the whole squad for winter break. It was Christmas, and they were all in Gil's grandmother's house, sitting in a half-circle around the Christmas tree. She couldn't speak much English, so most of their conversations had to be translated by Alex or Gil, but they still had fun.

"We think it's wonderful, Ma'am," Eliza said.

"C'est merveilleux, Madame," Alex repeated. Anne-Marie smiled. She was a petite woman with tan skin, curly, graying hair, and a very spunky attitude (she had hit John with a spatula when he tried to eat crepes with his hands).

"The Eiffel Tower is taller than I thought," John muttered. He hadn't been scared on the plane ride there, but, while they were on the Eiffel Tower a few days before, John had stayed firmly attached to Alex's side. Alex snickered before saying what John had said in French. Anne-Marie laughed as the clock on the wall chimed 10.

"Presents!" Peggy cheered. The squad had found out that Gil's family had Christmas traditions, one of which was not opening gifts until 10 am. John, Alexander, Peggy, and Gil leapt to the tree and grabbed their presents, tearing into them like children.

"Calme-toi!" Anne-Marie cried.

"It's Christmas; how can we be calm?" Alexander asked, Gil nodding in agreement.

For a couple hours, the squad opened presents and messed around, enjoying their _Noël en France_. At one point, Hercules, who had been awfully quiet-and almost sickly-all day, suddenly stood from his place on the couch next to Gil. He walked around to the opposite side of the tree, becoming unseen to his friends.

"Hercules, what are you doing?" Gil wondered, making to stand.

"I have another present for you," Herc answered, gesturing for Gil to stay where he was.

"Is it a cat?" Gil asked, excitedly bouncing on the couch. "Oh, if it's a cat I will scream."

"You'll probably scream anyway," Hercules could be heard muttering.

"Yo, Herc," John called out, moving towards him. "How long does it take to grab a...present... _oh, my God_!" John gasped and flailed as if unsure what to do with his hands.

"Don't spoil it!"

"You'd better hurry up, then!"

"What is going on?" Alex thought aloud. John had to bite his lip to keep from speaking.

"Close, your eyes, Gil," Hercules instructed. Gil did as he was told, barely able to contain his excitement.

"If it isn't a cat, I will be thoroughly disappointed," Gil grumbled through his smile as Hercules stepped out in front of him, holding something behind his back.

"It's better than a cat, I think." Hercules bent down and kissed Gil quickly.

"What could be better than a cat?" The squad suddenly all gasped at once. "What? What is it?"

"Open your eyes," Hercules said softly. Gil's eyes opened a crack, then widened as he jumped up in surprise, covering his mouth. Hercules kelt before him on one knee, a small box in his hands.

"Oh, mon Dieu..."

"Yeah...I...I had a speech but...I'm blanking..."

"Just do it!" John yelled.

"Okay, okay!" Hercules took a deep breath. "Gil, listen, I love you a lot, though I feel like you know that already. You're awesome, beautiful, funny, clever...I could go on. To summarize: I love you, I love you, I love you. You make my life complete, and I want to be with you for all of it. So-and I'm sure you've guessed what question this is leading to-Gil...Veux-tu m'épouser?"

"Oh, Dieu...Je-Je-" Gil's voice cracked, tears threatening to fall. "Oh, _oui_ , Hercules! Oui, oui, _oui!_ "

Hercules stood just in time to catch Gil, who leapt into his arms. The two new fiancées kissed passionately while their friends cheered and whistled, and John shouted, "Hell yeah!" A silver ring was slipped onto Gil's finger, but he barely seemed to notice; he was smiling at Hercules the entire time.

 ** _/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_**

John sighed wistfully. "They couldn't be more than two feet away from each other all day."

"Yeah, it was cute."

"They were even more attached at their engagement party."

"Well, they were drunk."

"So were we. Jefferson and Madison got wasted pretty fast."

"They took forever to get there, though."

 ** _/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_**

" _What the hell?_ " An angry Thomas burst through the door of Hercules and Gil's dorm, with James behind him, a slight smirk on his face. Thomas stormed in, heading straight towards Gil. "Why the _fuck_ didn't you tell me until now?" Gil fought to hold back a smile.

"Tell you what, Thomas?" Gil wondered with faux confusion.

"That you're _engaged_."

"I didn't think you would care." A look of disbelief flashed on Thomas' face.

"You're my cousin! Of course I care, you idiot." Thomas flew forward and wrapped Gil in a tight hug. Gil was surprised at first, but happily returned the gesture. "Congrats, Gil." Thomas said quietly.

"Thank you," Gil whispered back. Then, "Your turn."

Thomas pulled away quickly, his face red. He glanced at James before coughing and asking, "Where are the drinks?"

 ** _/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\_**

"I can't believe they're already getting married this winter," Alexander smiled.

"They've been dating for three years," John stated. "Oh, um, I-I mean, you know, unless...do you-do you think that's too soon?"

"Of course not. But it feels like just yesterday that they first got together."

"Oh, y-yeah." John laughed awkwardly. They stopped walking once they got to the biggest tree in the park, leaning against it to rest. John sighed. "This is my favorite tree"

"That's random," Alex giggled. "Why?"

"We first kissed under it." Alex rolled his eyes.

"Oh, right. How romantic. We first kissed while I was freaking out, because it was _raining_."

"Hey, you're getting better." John nudged Alex playfully in the side.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Was there a point to bringing this up?"

"Yes." John hesitated. "I, uh, named the tree."

Silence.

Alex burst into laughter. " _What_?" John's face began to heat up.

"I named it."

"What did you name it?"

"The Milestone Tree."

"Why's that?"

"Well, um, the first kiss between a couple is, like, a milestone that is crossed in a relationship. We crossed it at this tree."

"Okay...but for it to be named 'The Milestone Tree', shouldn't more than one milestone be crossed here?"

"True... Listen, we've been through a lot of shit these past four years. Good shit, bad shit, whatever. But, I've been thinking over all that time, and I realized: It didn't matter what happened. All that mattered...was that I was with you. You make me so happy, Alexander, and I don't think I could live without you."

"What is this?" Alex questioned. "Do you want me to buy you something?" John shook his head and took a deep breath.

"Alex, you know how much I love you, right?"

"John," Alex sighed, "you got _shot_ to save my life. I think I know."

"And I would do that again and again if you would trust me to."

"Wha-" Alexander was cut off when John suddenly kissed him. He was just melting into it when John pulled away, gazing at him with eyes full of adoration. John knelt down and pulled a small box out of his pocket. Alex gasped and covered his mouth in an attempt to keep from screaming.

"I'm just going to cut to the chase. Alex...Will you do me the honor of marrying me?"

For once in his life, Alexander Hamilton was speechless. He knew what he wanted to say, for sure, but the question then became: Would this be worth it? Would this make him happy in the long run? Was this amazing man in front of him really the person he wanted to spend his entire life with? Would he risk his life for him as John had already done, just to stay with him every day he possibly could?

Then, his thoughts froze, and he understood that all these questions were invalid. There was only one way to answer them all.

"Yes."

Before Alex knew it, John was up and kissing him again, fiercely, passionately, lovingly. Alexander wrapped his arms around John's neck and held tight, their bodies flush together. They were both crying tears of joy while Alex put the golden ring on his finger.

"I love you, so much, Alexander."

"I know. I love you, too, John." Alex wiped his eyes and laughed at nothing in particular. "Was this just a ploy to get me to live with you in your apartment?"

"Did it work?" Alex giggled and nodded, burrowing his head into the side of John's neck.

They stayed there for a long while, underneath the shade of their 'Milestone Tree'. Their heads buzzed with joy as their hearts beat loudly for one another. Sometime later, they would go back to their dorm. They would invite their friends over to tell them the news, and all of them would scream in excitement. They would spend over a year planning their wedding. But, that was all for later. This was now. And, now, they were together.

And that was all that mattered.

* * *

 ***Sobs***

 **It's over! I can't take this! I love this story so much!**

 **Okay okay okay. The important stuff that you should read will be on top here:**

 ***Deep breath* Do you want a sequel?**

 **I've been thinking about making one, because of how utterly obsessed I will forever be with this, and if you want it, I'll make it. Just let me know.**

 **I've also had a few new ideas. One is mostly Mullette (with some Lams, too, of course) and it's a royalty AU. Also, I had a weird concept I wanted to try where (in a modern high school AU) all the usually good characters were now bad, and vice versa.**

 **If you would want to see any of these, please, let me know!**

 **Also, I'm going to respond to every comment on this chapter (as long as the site allows me to), so if you have any questions about me or the characters in my universe, or even my other stories, feel free to ask! (You can even ask the characters themselves questions and I'll let them respond). And even if you're reading this a long time after I've posted this, I will still try to answer, so don't worry.**

 **If any of you like the Selection Trilogy by Kiera Cass, my other friend wrote a story for it! Her username is tyozzie123, and she also likes Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, so I would expect those fics from her.**

 **Okay, important stuff out of the way. Now...thank you.**

 **Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. I literally couldn't say that enough. You've stuck with me to the end, even when I wrote pain and suffering. I sincerely appreciate every one of you, your reviews make my day everyday, and I couldn't have done this without you. You all gave me such extreme motivation to write more often, and now I'm nonstop. Everyday, I'm astonished with how much I've improved in my writing through a super gay Hamilton fanfiction. I truly owe everything to you. Sometimes, because of that, I feel bad for not telling you my real name. But, you know, it's the internet. I love you immensely, and, even though we don't really know each other, I feel like we can be called friends.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this. There's definitely more to come (especially if I find another thing to write fanfics about), so get excited (though, it might take a while to write, so not too excited).**

 **Have a good day, friends!**

 **See you later!**


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